An anticipation ruling would depend largely on how Judge Stein interprets certain wording within the patent. It adds some risk. |
Anything that hints of a weaker top line doesn't play too well with the Street. We believe there's a tad bit of disconnect, and the modest contraction in the stock has created a good buying opportunity. |
The faster Merck appoints [Clark] as chairman, the better the signal is. |
The Supreme Court only hears patent cases approximately 7% of the time. Therefore, the Supreme Court's rejection of the case was largely anticipated and the Appellate court decision remains in place. Merck has exhausted all avenues to regain U.S. exclusivity beyond February 2008, at which point generics are expected. |
There could be a much higher rate of suicide with people not taking their medications, than with people taking their medication. |
We believe the downside risk from current levels is limited anchored by Merck offering an attractive 4.4% dividend. |
We expect the price spread to increase from 28% to more than 70% with additional generic launches. |