Groupama Asset Managment Has $105.25 Million Stock Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Groupama Asset Management reduced its Merck stake by 2.9% in the first quarter, selling 25,823 shares and retaining 874,963 shares valued at approximately $105.25 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 76.07% of MRK.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with 13 Buy ratings and seven Holds producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $134.50. Guggenheim and JPMorgan recently raised their targets to $145 and $140, respectively.
• Merck reported quarterly revenue of $16.29 billion, above expectations, while declaring a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, equivalent to a 2.6% annualized yield. Shares opened at $130.49, near their 52-week high of $135.05.

Groupama Asset Managment lessened its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 2.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 874,963 shares of the company's stock after selling 25,823 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for approximately 1.5% of Groupama Asset Managment's investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Groupama Asset Managment's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $105,249,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of MRK. Chesapeake Wealth Management raised its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Chesapeake Wealth Management now owns 14,740 shares of the company's stock worth $1,552,000 after purchasing an additional 87 shares in the last quarter. South Plains Financial Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. South Plains Financial Inc. now owns 15,535 shares of the company's stock worth $1,635,000 after purchasing an additional 89 shares during the period. Syverson Strege & Co increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.2% during the fourth quarter. Syverson Strege & Co now owns 4,142 shares of the company's stock worth $436,000 after purchasing an additional 90 shares during the period. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.4% during the first quarter. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV now owns 23,433 shares of the company's stock worth $2,819,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the period. Finally, Westside Investment Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 3,142 shares of the company's stock valued at $331,000 after buying an additional 93 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on MRK. Weiss Ratings cut Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Wall Street Zen cut Merck & Co., Inc. from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 20th. Guggenheim upped their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $112.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $134.50.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 0.5%

Shares of MRK opened at $130.49 on Friday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $77.53 and a 52-week high of $135.05. The business's fifty day moving average is $123.17 and its 200-day moving average is $118.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.30. The firm has a market cap of $322.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.76, a PEG ratio of 5.15 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) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.22 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is 95.77%.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s launch of subcutaneous Keytruda, known as Qlex, and other lifecycle extensions could preserve the drug’s commercial momentum and support exclusivity through 2039. Recent regulatory approvals, pipeline progress and the acquisitions of Terns and Cidara also broaden the company’s oncology and virology prospects. Merck: Heading Into Q2 Earnings, The Keytruda Cliff Looks Increasingly Less Steep
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst estimates have improved, including Erste Group’s modest increase in its FY2027 EPS forecast to $9.54 from $9.52. Barclays has also forecast strong potential appreciation for MRK, reinforcing the constructive sentiment around the shares. Barclays Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Merck & Co., Inc. Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Merck declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, payable October 7 to shareholders of record September 15. The dividend provides ongoing income support, with a reported annualized yield of about 2.6%.
• Neutral Sentiment: MRK is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results before the market opens on August 4. Consensus calls for approximately $16.33 billion in sales and a loss of $0.26 per share, with acquisition costs likely affecting reported earnings. Investors will watch Keytruda demand, Gardasil performance and management’s outlook. Should You Buy, Sell or Hold Merck Stock Ahead of Q2 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck and Wellcome’s Hilleman Laboratories are preparing an experimental Ebola vaccine for clinical trials. The initiative supports Merck’s public-health profile but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Merck, Wellcome Partner With Global Health Group to Make Ebola Vaccine for Clinical Trials
• Negative Sentiment: After a roughly 17% rally since its latest quarterly results, MRK may already reflect much of the favorable Keytruda and pipeline news. Analysts characterize its longer-term valuation as justified rather than clearly inexpensive, while Gardasil weakness and the approaching earnings event remain risks. Merck Stock Looks Cheap on Cash Flow but Fair on Earnings

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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