Ethic Inc. Boosts Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Ethic Inc. increased its stake in Merck by 9.3% in the fourth quarter, buying 27,079 additional shares and bringing its total holding to 318,145 shares worth about $33.5 million.
• Wall Street remains cautiously upbeat on MRK, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and average price target of $128.18, while several firms recently raised targets or reiterated bullish views.
• Merck’s latest earnings topped expectations, as Q1 revenue came in at $16.29 billion and EPS of -$1.28 beat analyst estimates; however, the company continues to face mixed near-term sentiment, including Gardasil litigation risk and insider stock sales.

Ethic Inc. increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 9.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 318,145 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 27,079 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for 0.5% of Ethic Inc.'s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd largest position. Ethic Inc.'s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $33,488,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,808,000 after buying an additional 8,710 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company's stock worth $910,000 after buying an additional 3,941 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% in the second quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company's stock worth $2,590,000 after buying an additional 15,636 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% in the second quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,054,000 after acquiring an additional 6,897 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% in the second quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company's stock valued at $53,918,000 after acquiring an additional 359,356 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MRK shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Zacks Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Barclays began coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Friday, February 20th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup assumed coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday. They set a "neutral" rating and a $125.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, March 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $128.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Down 0.9%

Shares of NYSE:MRK opened at $111.26 on Friday. The company's 50-day moving average price is $117.07 and its 200 day moving average price is $108.31. Merck & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $73.31 and a fifty-two week high of $125.14. The company has a market cap of $274.78 billion, a PE ratio of 31.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.18. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 in the previous year, the company posted $2.22 earnings per share. The business'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. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 earnings per share for the current year.

Key Stories 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

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

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total transaction of $1,184,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 70,615 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,361,522.15. The trade was a 12.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the business'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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,211,341.40. This trade represents a 63.82% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

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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