Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar Buys Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Stock

Key Points

• Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar purchased $15,001–$50,000 of Merck stock on August 19 through her UBS IRA account. She also traded shares of Moderna, Qualcomm, Chubb, Berkshire Hathaway, IBM and SpaceX.
• Merck reported quarterly revenue of $16.61 billion, exceeding expectations, while revenue increased 5.1% year over year. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, equivalent to a 2.3% annualized yield.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $151.32, though investors continue to weigh Merck’s valuation and the eventual Keytruda patent cliff.

Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican-Florida) recently bought shares of Merck & Co., Inc. NYSE: MRK. In a filing disclosed on September 09th, the Representative disclosed that they had bought between $15,001 and $50,000 in Merck & Co., Inc. stock on August 19th. The trade occurred in the Representative's "UBS IRA ACCOUNT" account.

Representative Maria Elvira Salazar also recently made the following trade(s):

• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of International Business Machines NYSE: IBM on 8/24/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Moderna NASDAQ: MRNA on 8/19/2026.
• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Qualcomm NASDAQ: QCOM on 8/19/2026.
• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Moderna NASDAQ: MRNA on 8/19/2026.
• Sold $15,001 - $50,000 in shares of Chubb NYSE: CB on 8/19/2026.
• Sold $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Qualcomm NASDAQ: QCOM on 8/12/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of SpaceX NASDAQ: SPCX on 8/12/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Berkshire Hathaway NYSE: BRK.B on 8/7/2026.
• Purchased $1,001 - $15,000 in shares of Berkshire Hathaway NYSE: BRK.B on 7/28/2026.
• Purchased $15,001 - $50,000 in shares of Berkshire Hathaway NYSE: BRK.B on 7/28/2026.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:MRK opened at $144.68 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $356.96 billion, a PE ratio of 115.75, a P/E/G ratio of 6.42 and a beta of 0.21. Merck & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $77.58 and a fifty-two week high of $156.92. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $136.22 and a 200 day simple moving average of $124.26. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.13 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is currently 272.00%.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts raised price targets: HSBC lifted its target from $150 to $172 and maintained a “buy” rating, while Guggenheim raised its target to $170. Leerink Partners also increased its target from $127 to $161 and assigned an “outperform” rating. These revisions indicate continued confidence in Merck’s earnings potential and pipeline. Guggenheim Increases Merck Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline strategy may help address Keytruda risks: Merck is pairing antibody-drug conjugates with Keytruda in women’s cancer treatments, an effort to expand its oncology franchise and offset the eventual impact of Keytruda’s patent cliff. Merck Pairs ADCs With Keytruda
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are reassessing Merck’s valuation: A comparison with Eli Lilly highlights that Merck is trading at a higher valuation despite its slower expected growth, prompting questions about whether its pipeline, cash generation and defensive characteristics justify the premium. Merck Stock Versus Eli Lilly
• Neutral Sentiment: Market attention remains elevated: Merck was among the stocks most watched by Zacks users, suggesting strong investor interest but not necessarily a change in fundamentals. Merck Investor Attention
• Negative Sentiment: Shares declined with the broader market and underperformed during the session: The trading update provided no new company-specific catalyst, leaving valuation concerns and the Keytruda patent-cliff debate as the primary pressures on the stock.

Insider Activity

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.46, for a total value of $10,718,839.90. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,509 shares in the company, valued at $6,073,631.14. This trade represents a 63.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard Deluca sold 20,784 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.43, for a total transaction of $2,710,857.12. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 134,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,569,312.29. The trade was a 13.37% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on MRK shares. CICC Research initiated coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $138.00 price target on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 22nd. Barclays increased their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Finally, Leerink Partners boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $127.00 to $161.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $151.32.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 95.2% during the fourth quarter. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP now owns 23,280 shares of the company's stock worth $2,450,000 after buying an additional 11,355 shares during the last quarter. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC bought a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the second quarter valued at approximately $11,470,000. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 32.6% in the fourth quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 1,301,744 shares of the company's stock worth $137,022,000 after acquiring an additional 320,143 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.0% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,578,024 shares of the company's stock worth $331,931,000 after acquiring an additional 51,393 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 13.9% during the fourth quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 1,843,042 shares of the company's stock worth $193,999,000 after acquiring an additional 224,752 shares during the period. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Representative Salazar

Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Florida's 27th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2021. Her current term ends on January 3, 2027. Salazar (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Florida's 27th Congressional District. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024. Maria Elvira Salazar was born in Miami, Florida, and lives in Coral Gables, Florida. Salazar earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami in 1983 and a graduate degree from Harvard University in 1995. Her career experience includes working as a television journalist, reporter, and news anchor.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets worldwide through its Human Health and Animal Health businesses.

Merck's pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious disease, cardiology, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Its products include Keytruda, an immunotherapy used to treat various cancers; Gardasil, a vaccine that helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV); and Januvia, a treatment for type 2 diabetes.

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