Merck KGaA Seeks Deals With Nearly $20 Billion of Firepower

Merck KGaA is ready to deploy as much as 20 billion euros ($19.8 billion) on acquisitions as the German science company hunts for growth opportunities.

Merck is willing to embark on large-scale transactions as soon as 2023, along with more bolt-on deals and licensing agreements, Chief Executive Officer Belen Garijo said Thursday at the company’s Capital Markets Day event.

There could be “attractive opportunities” emerging amid the global turmoil caused by inflation, geopolitical tensions and what increasingly looks like a global recession, Garijo told investors. The company is close to having a financial capacity of about 15 billion euros to ...