Diversify Wealth Management LLC Raises Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Diversify Wealth Management LLC increased its Merck stake by 241.7% in the first quarter, adding 18,800 shares to bring its total to 26,577 shares worth about $2.95 million.
• Wall Street sentiment on Merck remains generally constructive, with several firms raising price targets and the stock carrying an average analyst rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $133.94.
• Merck reported better-than-expected quarterly results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, while also paying a $0.85 quarterly dividend that works out to a 2.7% yield.

Diversify Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 241.7% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 26,577 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 18,800 shares during the period. Diversify Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $2,949,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Abound Financial LLC bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Prosperity Bancshares Inc bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. High Note Wealth LLC boosted its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the 4th quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Finally, IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRK has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $112.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $142.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Sunday. Finally, Zacks Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $133.94.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

MRK opened at $123.93 on Tuesday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12-month low of $76.66 and a 12-month high of $130.29. The company has a market cap of $306.09 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.19. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $119.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $116.50. 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 posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 27.55%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. Research analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were paid a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is currently 95.77%.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: The FDA expanded approval for Merck’s Keytruda, in combination with Pfizer’s Padcev, for use in muscle-invasive bladder cancer regardless of cisplatin eligibility, potentially expanding the market opportunity for one of Merck’s most important cancer drugs. FDA Expands MRK & PFE's Keytruda-Padcev Combo Use in Bladder Cancer
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan, BMO Capital Markets, and Guggenheim all raised their price targets on Merck and maintained bullish ratings, signaling improved Wall Street confidence in MRK’s upside. Analyst price target updates
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary highlighting Merck as a bargain and the stock’s recent attention in the S&P 500 focus list may be adding to investor optimism around the shares. Merck (MRK) Stock Looks Like A Bargain At This Price
• Neutral Sentiment: There was also discussion of Merck’s Januvia/Janumet franchise as a benchmark in a generic drug partnership story, but this appears to be more contextual than a direct new catalyst for MRK today. Cosmos Health Accelerates Prescription Medicine Strategy...
• Negative Sentiment: Retail chatter continues to focus on Merck’s looming Keytruda patent cliff, which remains a longer-term risk even as near-term news flow is positive. SLS Vs MLTX: Retail Traders Race To Pick Merck’s Next Biotech Buyout...

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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