CX Institutional Buys 9,768 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• CX Institutional increased its Merck stake by 10.1%, buying 9,768 shares to hold 106,569 shares worth about $11.22 million after the quarter.
• Merck beat Q1 revenue and adjusted EPS (revenue $16.29B) but recorded a GAAP loss tied to a Cidara-related charge, and set FY2026 EPS guidance of $5.04–$5.16.
• Insider selling was substantial — insiders sold 320,176 shares in the past 90 days, including EVP Jennifer Zachary’s sale of 121,573 shares.

CX Institutional lifted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 10.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 106,569 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 9,768 shares during the quarter. CX Institutional's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $11,217,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in MRK. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company's stock worth $3,808,000 after acquiring an additional 8,710 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% during the second 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 grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% during the second quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company's stock worth $2,590,000 after purchasing an additional 15,636 shares during the period. Diversify Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in 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 Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% during 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 period. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 2.9%

NYSE MRK opened at $112.30 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.54 and a quick ratio of 1.30. Merck & Co., Inc. has a one year low of $73.31 and a one year high of $125.14. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $117.69 and a 200 day simple moving average of $107.54. The stock has a market capitalization of $277.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.63, a P/E/G ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.19.

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 analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 26.84% and a net margin of 13.59%.The firm had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.22 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter 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. Research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 4.9 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,211,341.40. This trade represents a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total value of $1,184,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 70,615 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,361,522.15. This trade represents a 12.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 320,176 shares of company stock valued at $38,281,735. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — Merck posted revenue and adjusted EPS above Street forecasts with Keytruda and Winrevair driving growth; the beats and upbeat commentary lifted investor sentiment. Merck tops Q1 estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory approvals & pipeline progress expand addressable markets — Merck won FDA approval for a new 2‑drug HIV regimen (IDVYNSO) and EC approval for ENFLONSIA for RSV prevention; the company also dosed the first patient in Phase 3 enpatoran lupus trials, adding long‑term growth optionality. Merck expands beyond oncology
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst action mixed — Wells Fargo trimmed its price target to $145 but kept an Overweight rating, signaling continued confidence despite a modestly lower PT. Wells Fargo lowers PT
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance and outlook — Merck provided EPS guidance of $5.04–$5.16 and a narrowed sales view ($65.8B–$67.0B). Guidance is close to consensus but tighter ranges mean less revenue upside visibility near term. Merck Q1 financial results
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector context — Biotech peers are mixed (Moderna saw vaccine revenue rebound but its stock fell; Organon missed), so some moves reflect broader healthcare rotation rather than Merck‑specific news. Moderna Covid vaccine drives growth
• Negative Sentiment: Acquisition-related charge produced a GAAP loss — A Cidara-related charge drove a quarterly GAAP loss, which clouds headline profitability despite the operational beat. Merck posts quarterly loss due to Cidara charge
• Negative Sentiment: Longer-term growth risks flagged — Coverage noted potential future pressure from lost sales on some products (e.g., competitive threats to Keytruda, HPV and diabetes medicines) and Merck said it is working on mitigations. That risk keeps some investors cautious. Merck stock falls after earnings

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on MRK shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Wall Street Zen raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 28th. Citigroup raised their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Barclays started coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Friday, February 20th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 target price for the company. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Monday, March 30th. 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average 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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