11,142 Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Bought by Wedmont Private Capital

Key Points

• Wedmont Private Capital increased its Merck stake by 39.4% in the third quarter, purchasing 11,142 shares for a total holding of 39,432 shares valued at approximately $5.6 million. Institutional investors collectively own 76.07% of MRK.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $151.32, supported by 17 Buy ratings and 10 Holds. Merck shares recently traded at $146.45.
• Merck’s outlook includes FDA approval for its WELIREG-LENVIMA combination, but the company faces risks from a European injunction affecting subcutaneous Keytruda and potential generic competition as patents expire.

Wedmont Private Capital increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 39.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 39,432 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 11,142 shares during the period. Wedmont Private Capital's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $5,614,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. BlackRock Inc. lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.5% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 226,999,837 shares of the company's stock worth $29,169,479,000 after purchasing an additional 1,073,507 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 120,413,256 shares of the company's stock valued at $15,573,754,000 after purchasing an additional 1,087,583 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 86,249,283 shares of the company's stock worth $11,083,033,000 after buying an additional 1,934,312 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.5% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 30,774,221 shares of the company's stock worth $3,701,831,000 after buying an additional 2,919,780 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 20,546,185 shares of the company's stock worth $2,162,691,000 after buying an additional 701,249 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently commented on MRK shares. Berenberg Bank boosted their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $127.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, September 11th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $137.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, September 4th. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. Finally, CICC Research initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $138.00 target price for the company. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $151.32.

Trending Headlines about Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: The FDA approved Merck’s combination of WELIREG and LENVIMA for adults with advanced renal cell carcinoma previously treated with a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor. The approval expands the commercial opportunity for Merck’s oncology portfolio. Merck also initiated a first-in-human Phase I trial involving Cyprumed’s oral peptide-delivery platform, adding a potential pipeline catalyst. Merck Wins FDA Approval for WELIREG Plus LENVIMA
• Positive Sentiment: Apella Capital increased its MRK position by 16.6% to 43,902 shares, signaling additional institutional interest. However, the filing reflects a past quarter and is not necessarily a current trading signal. Apella Capital Increases Stake in Merck
• Neutral Sentiment: Cantor Fitzgerald raised its MRK price target from $120 to $145 but maintained a “neutral” rating. The higher target acknowledges Merck’s prospects, yet it is slightly below the stock’s recent trading level, implying limited near-term upside. Cantor Fitzgerald Raises Pharma Price Targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Morgan Stanley’s coverage appears mixed: one report cites a cautious price outlook, while another reports a Buy rating. The conflicting signals suggest analysts recognize Merck’s strengths but remain concerned about growth and valuation. Merck Gets a Buy Rating from Morgan Stanley
• Negative Sentiment: A Dutch court injunction blocks Merck’s subcutaneous Keytruda from being sold in eight European markets during the patent dispute with Halozyme. The ruling could delay adoption of a potentially more convenient formulation and create added legal and commercial uncertainty. Court Blocks Merck’s Keytruda Subcutaneous Product in Europe
• Negative Sentiment: Industry analysts identify Merck as particularly exposed to near-term generic competition as major drug patents expire. That patent-cliff risk could pressure future revenue and earnings, despite the company’s efforts to expand its oncology pipeline. Pharma Patent Losses and Merck’s Exposure

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MRK traded up $4.07 during trading on Friday, reaching $146.45. The company had a trading volume of 3,581,885 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,624,871. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $82.01 and a 52 week high of $156.92. The business's 50 day moving average price is $143.59 and its 200-day moving average price is $128.16. The stock has a market cap of $361.31 billion, a PE ratio of 116.98, a PEG ratio of 6.42 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.32.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 4.77%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.13 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.67 earnings per share for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th were given a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 272.00%.

Insider Activity

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP David Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total transaction of $2,407,836.32. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 18,212 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,344,248.64. The trade was a 50.67% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total transaction of $1,350,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 36,613 shares in the company, valued at $4,942,755. This trade represents a 21.45% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets around the world, with research and commercial operations spanning multiple geographic regions.

Its pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious-disease, cardiovascular, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Key products include Keytruda, an oncology treatment; Gardasil, a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; Januvia and Janumet for type 2 diabetes; Bridion for anesthesia-related use; and Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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