BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S Grows Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 8.9% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,357,299 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 110,415 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. makes up approximately 1.2% of BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S's portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest position. BI Asset Management Fondsmaeglerselskab A S owned 0.05% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $141,523,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. bought a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. United Financial Planning Group LLC bought a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the third quarter worth $31,000. High Note Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the fourth quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Wealth Watch Advisors INC bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the third quarter valued at $34,000. Finally, Tucker Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Key Stories Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck reached a settlement of more than $50 million to resolve over 200 Gardasil-related lawsuits, removing a significant legal overhang and helping investors refocus on the company’s core business and pipeline. Merck Gardasil Settlement Eases Legal Overhang And Refocuses Investor Attention
• Positive Sentiment: Merck recently broke above both its 20-day and 50-day moving averages, a technical signal that traders often view as a sign of improving short-term momentum. Merck (MRK) Recently Broke Out Above the 20-Day Moving Average
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s oncology franchise continues to draw attention after ASCO 2026 updates highlighted Keytruda’s strength in solid tumors and other pipeline assets aimed at offsetting future exclusivity pressure. ASCO26: Solid tumour data readouts outline Merck & Co’s oncology prowess
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s collaboration with Moderna on a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine also got a boost from positive long-term data disclosed by Moderna, reinforcing investor interest in the partnership. Why Is Moderna (MRNA) Stock Rocketing Higher Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s conference appearance and oncology strategy update likely kept investor focus on the pipeline, but the items available do not indicate a major new catalyst beyond ongoing progress. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Discusses Oncology Strategy and Program Update With Focus on Clinical Progress and Pipeline Diversification - Slideshow

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on MRK shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. UBS Group raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. Citigroup started coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $125.00 price target for the company. Guggenheim raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $122.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, March 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $128.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.7%

Shares of MRK opened at $121.05 on Friday. The business's 50 day moving average is $116.55 and its 200 day moving average is $112.39. The company has a market capitalization of $298.96 billion, a PE ratio of 34.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.21. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12-month low of $76.66 and a 12-month high of $125.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. The company had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.22 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. Research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 95.77%.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

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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