DGAP-PVR: Merck KGaA: Release according to Article 26,

Merck KGaA 25.10.2016 14:04 Dissemination of a Voting Rights Announcement, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notification of Major Holdings 1. Details of issuer Merck KGaA Frankfurter Str. 250 64293 Darmstadt Germany 2. Reason for notification X Acquisition/disposal of shares with voting rights X Acquisition/disposal of instruments Change of breakdown of voting rights X Other reason: Voluntary group notification with triggered threshold on subsidiary level 3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation Name: City and country of registered office: BlackRock, Inc. Wilmington, DE United States of America (USA) 4. Names of shareholder(s) holding directly 3% or more voting rights, if different from 3. 5. Date on which threshold was crossed or reached 19 Oct 2016 6. Total positions % of voting % of voting rights total of total number rights attached through instruments both in % of voting to shares (total (total of 7.b.1 + (7.a. + rights of of 7.a.) 7.b.2) 7.b.) issuer Result- 8.47 % 0.24 % 8.71 % 129242252 ing situat- ion Previo- 8.46 % 0.30 % 8.76 % / us notifi- cation 7. Notified details of the resulting situation a. Voting rights attached to shares (Sec.s 21, 22 WpHG) ISIN absolute in % direct (Sec. indirect (Sec. direct (Sec. indirect 21 WpHG) 22 WpHG) 21 WpHG) (Sec. 22 WpHG) DE0006599905 0 10944462 0.00 % 8.47 % Total 10944462 8.47 % b.1. Instruments according to Sec. 25 para. 1 No. 1 WpHG Type of Expiration or Exercise or Voting Voting instrument maturity date conversion rights rights in period absolute % Lent N/A N/A 103480 0.08 % Securities Total 103480 0.08 % b.2. Instruments according to Sec. 25 para. 1 No. 2 WpHG Type of Expiration Exercise or Cash or Voting Voting instrument or maturity conversion physical rights rights date period settlement absolute in % Contract N/A N/A Cash 210694 0.16 % for Difference Total 210694 0.16 % 8. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled and does itself not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer (1.). X Full chain of controlled undertakings starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity: Name % of voting % of voting rights Total of rights (if at through instruments both (if at least held 3% (if at least held least held or more) 5% or more) 5% or more) BlackRock, Inc. % % % Trident Merger, LLC % % % BlackRock Investment % % % Management, LLC BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock Holdco 4, % % % LLC BlackRock Holdco 6, % % % LLC BlackRock Delaware % % % Holdings Inc. BlackRock % % % Institutional Trust Company, National Association BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock Holdco 4, % % % LLC BlackRock Holdco 6, % % % LLC BlackRock Delaware % % % Holdings Inc. BlackRock Fund % % % Advisors BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock Capital % % % Holdings, Inc. BlackRock Advisors, % % % LLC BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock (Singapore) % % % Holdco Pte. Ltd. BlackRock (Singapore) % % % Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock (Singapore) % % % Holdco Pte. Ltd. BlackRock Asia-Pac % % % Holdco, LLC BlackRock HK Holdco % % % Limited BlackRock Asset % % % Management North Asia Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock (Singapore) % % % Holdco Pte. Ltd. BlackRock Asia-Pac % % % Holdco, LLC BlackRock HK Holdco % % % Limited BlackRock Cayco % % % Limited BlackRock Trident % % % Holding Company Limited BlackRock Japan % % % Holdings GK BlackRock Japan Co., % % % Ltd. BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Australia % % % Holdco Pty. Ltd. BlackRock Investment % % % Management (Australia) Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Holdco 3, % % % LLC BlackRock Canada % % % Holdings LP BlackRock Canada % % % Holdings ULC BlackRock Asset % % % Management Canada Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Holdco 3, % % % LLC BlackRock UK 1 LP % % % BlackRock Cayman % % % Capital Holdings Limited BlackRock UK A LLP % % % BlackRock UK 2 LLP % % % BlackRock UK 3 LLP % % % BlackRock UK 4 LLP % % % BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Advisors % % % (UK) Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Luxembourg % % % Holdco S.à r.l. BLACKROCK % % % (Luxembourg) S.A. BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Luxembourg % % % Holdco S.à r.l. BlackRock Investment % % % Management Ireland Holdings Limited BlackRock Asset % % % Management Ireland Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock % % % International Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock % % % International Limited BlackRock Life % % % Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock % % % (Netherlands) B.V. BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Investment % % % Management (UK) Limited BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Investment % % % Management (UK) Limited BlackRock Asset % % % Management Deutschland AG BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Investment % % % Management (UK) Limited BlackRock Asset % % % Management Deutschland AG iShares (DE) I % % % Investmentaktiengesel- lschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsverm- ögen BlackRock, Inc. % % % BlackRock Holdco 2, % % % Inc. BlackRock Financial % % % Management, Inc. BlackRock % % % International Holdings, Inc. BR Jersey % % % International Holdings L.P. BlackRock Group % % % Limited BlackRock Investment % % % Management (UK) Limited BlackRock Fund % % % Managers Limited 9. In case of proxy voting according to Sec. 22 para. 3 WpHG Date of general meeting: Holding position after general meeting: % (equals voting rights) 10. Other explanatory remarks: 25.10.2016 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Merck KGaA Frankfurter Str. 250 64293 Darmstadt Germany Internet: www.merck.de End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------