Allworth Financial LP Decreases Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Allworth Financial reduced its Merck stake by 20.7% in the second quarter, selling 54,355 shares and retaining 208,546 shares valued at approximately $26.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 76.07% of Merck.
• Merck shares recently fell 1.3% to $148.44, despite quarterly results that beat expectations: revenue rose 5.1% year over year to $16.61 billion and EPS exceeded consensus estimates.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $149.80. Merck also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, equivalent to a 2.3% annualized yield.

Allworth Financial LP decreased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 20.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 208,546 shares of the company's stock after selling 54,355 shares during the period. Allworth Financial LP's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $26,798,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,808,000 after buying an additional 8,710 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company's stock worth $910,000 after acquiring an additional 3,941 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% during the second quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,590,000 after acquiring an additional 15,636 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% during the second quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company's stock worth $3,054,000 after purchasing an additional 6,897 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% in the second quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company's stock worth $53,918,000 after purchasing an additional 359,356 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 1.3%

Shares of NYSE:MRK traded down $1.89 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $148.44. 11,184,680 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,784,977. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $77.58 and a 52-week high of $156.92. The stock has a market cap of $366.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 118.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.54 and a beta of 0.21. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $135.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $123.73. 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 issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. The business 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 company's revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.13 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal 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. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 272.00%.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on MRK. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Daiwa Securities Group raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $143.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $149.80.

Key Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim raised its price target for Merck (MRK) to $170 from $146 and upgraded the shares to “buy,” implying roughly 14.5% potential upside from the referenced price. The upgrade provides a near-term positive catalyst and signals increased confidence in Merck’s growth prospects.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts continue to point to Keytruda as the company’s primary growth engine, while Merck’s pipeline and newer products could help offset the expected impact of the 2028 patent cliff. This supports the stock’s strong performance and may reinforce the bullish outlook. Merck Trading Near 52-Week High: Is the Stock a Buy, Hold or Sell?
• Positive Sentiment: Merck will participate in Morgan Stanley’s 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference. Management commentary on Keytruda demand, the pipeline, and preparations for the patent expiration could provide an additional catalyst if it exceeds investor expectations. Merck to Participate in the Morgan Stanley 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference
• Neutral Sentiment: Reports forecast continued expansion in the global vaccine and pulmonary arterial hypertension markets, areas in which Merck participates. However, the market reports do not announce a new Merck contract, product approval, or financial forecast, limiting their immediate stock impact.
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s pilot with The Hashgraph Group and PwC Germany involves blockchain-based cocoa traceability. The initiative may support corporate technology and sustainability goals but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. The Hashgraph Group and Merck Develop Cocoa Traceability Solution
• Negative Sentiment: With MRK near a record level and trading at a high earnings multiple, investors may require continued execution to justify the valuation. The eventual loss of Keytruda exclusivity remains the key long-term risk, while the earlier Gardasil sales downturn shows that vaccine weakness can pressure results.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co, Inc is a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products. Its portfolio spans multiple therapeutic areas with a particular emphasis on oncology, vaccines and infectious disease, as well as therapies for metabolic and chronic conditions. Among its well-known products are the cancer immunotherapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil; the company also markets a range of medicines and vaccines for veterinary use through Merck Animal Health.

Founded in the late 19th century as the U.S.

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