Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC Has $24.27 Million Stock Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC trimmed its Merck stake by 5.0% in the fourth quarter, but still held 230,574 shares worth about $24.27 million, making Merck its 16th-largest position.
• Several other institutional investors also adjusted their Merck holdings, and overall institutions own 76.07% of the stock. Insider selling was notable too, with CMO Chirfi Guindo and EVP Jennifer Zachary both selling shares on February 9.
• Merck recently beat quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, but the stock is down 0.9% in the latest session and faces mixed signals, including positive pipeline and services news alongside Gardasil litigation risk and an upcoming trial.

Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC lowered its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 5.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 230,574 shares of the company's stock after selling 12,118 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. comprises 1.2% of Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC's holdings, making the stock its 16th biggest position. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $24,270,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Advisor OS LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 19.2% during the fourth quarter. Advisor OS LLC now owns 42,258 shares of the company's stock worth $4,448,000 after buying an additional 6,813 shares in the last quarter. Midwest Trust Co lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.0% during the fourth quarter. Midwest Trust Co now owns 766,971 shares of the company's stock worth $80,731,000 after buying an additional 7,847 shares in the last quarter. Oxbow Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 13.9% during the fourth quarter. Oxbow Advisors LLC now owns 3,283 shares of the company's stock worth $346,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. EWA LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.1% during the fourth quarter. EWA LLC now owns 3,212 shares of the company's stock worth $338,000 after buying an additional 582 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NewEdge Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 37.8% during the fourth quarter. NewEdge Wealth LLC now owns 88,597 shares of the company's stock worth $9,326,000 after buying an additional 24,306 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total value of $1,184,100.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 70,615 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,361,522.15. This trade represents a 12.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total value of $14,485,422.95. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares in the company, valued at $8,211,341.40. The trade was a 63.82% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of NYSE MRK opened at $111.26 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.30. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $73.31 and a 52 week high of $125.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $274.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.34, a PEG ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.18. The stock's fifty day moving average is $117.07 and its 200 day moving average is $108.31.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The company had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck published a landmark Science paper on a new large-scale biocatalytic synthesis method for its investigational oral PCSK9 inhibitor, enlicitide decanoate. The work supports manufacturing scalability for a potential future cardiovascular drug and underscores progress in Merck’s pipeline. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Merck also became the sole testing provider for Genetix Biotherapeutics’ FDA-approved gene therapies under a five-year agreement, strengthening its BioReliance services business and adding a recurring commercialization-related revenue stream. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted Merck as a well-prepared dividend stock despite its upcoming patent cliff, suggesting the market is still weighing long-term earnings durability rather than reacting to a single catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Merck is heading toward a July 27 trial over Gardasil safety claims after the vaccine reached an $8.9 billion sales peak. The litigation risk could weigh on sentiment around one of Merck’s key growth franchises, even though the company continues to defend the product’s safety record. Article Title

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRK has been the subject of a number of research reports. TD Cowen lifted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c+)" rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, May 1st. Barclays initiated coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "outperform" rating and set a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Monday, March 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $128.18.

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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