Great Lakes Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 75,899 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,753,000.
Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of MRK. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 95.2% in the fourth quarter. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP now owns 23,280 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,450,000 after purchasing an additional 11,355 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 32.6% during the fourth quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 1,301,744 shares of the company's stock worth $137,022,000 after buying an additional 320,143 shares during the last quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 13.9% in the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 1,843,042 shares of the company's stock valued at $193,999,000 after buying an additional 224,752 shares in the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,578,024 shares of the company's stock valued at $331,931,000 after buying an additional 51,393 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 410.5% in the 4th quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 705,442 shares of the company's stock worth $74,255,000 after acquiring an additional 567,249 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
MRK has been the topic of several analyst reports. Wall Street Zen upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, August 22nd. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Jefferies Financial Group cut Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $147.60.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Down 2.1%
Shares of MRK stock opened at $153.21 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The firm has a market cap of $378.00 billion, a PE ratio of 122.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 0.19. The company has a 50-day moving average of $130.39 and a two-hundred day moving average of $122.04. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $77.58 and a 1-year high of $156.92.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. The business had revenue of $16.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.13 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 EPS for the current year.
Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 272.00%.
Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Positive melanoma results strengthen the pipeline. Merck and Moderna reported positive Phase 3 topline results for intismeran autogene, an individualized neoantigen therapy used with KEYTRUDA in resected melanoma. The program could create a new growth opportunity and help extend KEYTRUDA’s commercial runway. Merck Surges on a Melanoma Win
- Positive Sentiment: A busy fall catalyst calendar is attracting investors. Upcoming FDA decisions, additional pipeline updates and a pivotal cancer-vaccine readout could materially influence expectations for Merck’s post-KEYTRUDA growth profile. What Would It Take to Get MRK Stock to $200?
- Positive Sentiment: Pipeline progress, new product launches and potential M&A are improving the long-term growth outlook and easing concerns about eventual KEYTRUDA revenue pressure. Merck Stock Hits New 52-Week High
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts have become more bullish. Wolfe Research raised its price target from $155 to $180 with an outperform rating, while Argus increased its target from $145 to $170 and upgraded the stock to buy. These revisions provide additional support for the recent advance.
- Neutral Sentiment: The cancer-vaccine opportunity remains uncertain. Reuters noted that evidence for broad use of the personalized therapy is still limited, with manufacturing, patient-selection and clinical-adoption challenges potentially affecting its commercial impact. How the Merck-Moderna Cancer Vaccine Works
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks are increasing. After gaining roughly 19% over the past month and trading near its 52-week high, MRK is approaching analyst targets, leaving less room for disappointment. Investors will likely focus on whether upcoming approvals and trial results can justify further upside.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 52,847 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.77, for a total transaction of $6,805,108.19. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 31,716 shares in the company, valued at $4,084,069.32. This represents a 62.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.46, for a total value of $10,718,839.90. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 45,509 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $6,073,631.14. This represents a 63.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 228,238 shares of company stock valued at $29,977,783 over the last quarter. 0.17% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Merck & Co., Inc. Profile
(
Free Report)
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.
Further Reading
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