Bokf Na Sells 28,321 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Bokf Na trimmed its Merck stake by 18.2%, selling 28,321 shares and leaving 127,249 shares worth about $13.39 million.
• Merck beat quarterly estimates with EPS of ($1.28) vs. ($1.47) expected and revenue of $16.29 billion vs. $15.85 billion, and set FY2026 guidance of 5.040–5.160 EPS (consensus ~5.15).
• Investor sentiment is mixed: institutional ownership is high (~76.1%) and analysts have issued upgrades while Merck completed the Terns Pharmaceuticals acquisition, but insiders sold roughly 209,258 shares in the past 90 days (including a 121,573-share sale by an EVP).

Bokf Na trimmed its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 18.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 127,249 shares of the company's stock after selling 28,321 shares during the period. Bokf Na's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $13,394,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 4.4% in the fourth quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 576,959 shares of the company's stock worth $60,731,000 after purchasing an additional 24,576 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 48.9% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 97,818 shares of the company's stock worth $10,296,000 after purchasing an additional 32,114 shares in the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 12.7% in the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 123,366 shares of the company's stock worth $10,364,000 after purchasing an additional 13,940 shares in the last quarter. Campbell Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $1,866,000. Finally, NEOS Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 39.9% in the 3rd quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC now owns 347,684 shares of the company's stock worth $29,181,000 after purchasing an additional 99,074 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE MRK opened at $113.21 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $73.31 and a 12 month high of $125.14. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $117.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $107.91. The stock has a market cap of $279.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.89, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 26.84%. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.22 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently commented on MRK shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 target price for the company in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Cantor Fitzgerald lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $128.18.

Trending Headlines about Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck completed the acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, adding clinical-stage oncology assets to its pipeline—a near-term catalyst for growth and synergy expectations. Merck Completes Acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators point to continued KEYTRUDA-driven revenue and a strong pipeline; Merck delivered its fourth straight beat, supporting the view the stock may be undervalued on a longer-term basis. Merck Stock Looks Undervalued as KEYTRUDA Growth and Pipeline Offset Near-Term Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile media support: Jim Cramer highlighted Merck’s solid quarter and said the stock is “starting to come back,” which can boost retail demand and sentiment. Jim Cramer on Merck & Co.: “The Stock’s Starting to Come Back”
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional commentary: recent investor letters and analyst write-ups (e.g., Baron Capital coverage) review Merck as a core healthcare holding—useful background but not an immediate catalyst. What Makes Merck & Co. (MRK) an Investment Bet?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector news: Pfizer beat Q1 estimates but faces a looming patent cliff; competitive results and sector rotation can influence pharma multiples and investor attention, creating mixed pressure across large peers including Merck. Pfizer Beats Sales Estimates As $17 Billion Patent Cliff Looms
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/short-term risk: chart analysts warn a double-top breakdown and moving-average pressures that could produce a deeper correction, which may cap near-term upside despite fundamental positives. Merck (MRK) Price Forecast: Double Top Signals Deeper Correction Risk

Insider Buying and Selling at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total transaction of $14,485,422.95. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 68,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,211,341.40. The trade was a 63.82% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total transaction of $1,184,100.00. Following the sale, the chief marketing officer owned 70,615 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,361,522.15. The trade was a 12.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 209,258 shares of company stock worth $25,101,593. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

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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