Merck & Co/Schering-Plough merger to target international growth
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
One of the driving forces behind the proposed merger of Merck & Co and Schering-Plough is the wish to create an entity that is stronger in international markets and has the potential to really exploit its opportunities there. The move is a bold step for Merck, which until now has avoided taking part in large M&A activity, even when many of its counterparts reshaped dramatically through M&A and overtook it in terms of critical mass and R&D capability.