iA Global Asset Management Inc. Buys 21,288 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• iA Global Asset Management boosted its Merck stake by 47% in the first quarter, buying 21,288 additional shares and bringing its total position to 66,560 shares worth about $8.0 million.
• Merck has seen a wave of upbeat analyst action, including higher price targets from Bank of America and Scotiabank, while the overall consensus remains a Moderate Buy with an average target of $131.83.
• The stock is trading near its 52-week high after a recent earnings beat and a quarterly dividend announcement, but it also faces a U.S. national security probe into its clinical trial activities in China.

iA Global Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 47.0% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 66,560 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 21,288 shares during the period. iA Global Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $8,007,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

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

Key Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America raised its price target on Merck to $141 from $130 and reiterated a buy rating, citing improved upside potential. Bank of America raises Merck price target
• Positive Sentiment: Scotiabank lifted its price target to $155 from $136 and maintained an outperform rating, signaling stronger confidence in Merck’s valuation and earnings outlook. Scotiabank raises Merck price target
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group slightly increased its FY2027 EPS estimate for Merck, reflecting modestly improved long-term earnings expectations. Erste Group EPS estimate update
• Positive Sentiment: Merck announced it will hold its second-quarter 2026 sales and earnings conference call on Aug. 4, keeping investors focused on upcoming results and guidance. Merck earnings conference call announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck also hit a new 52-week high following the analyst upgrade, but the stock has since pulled back after its six-day advance, suggesting some profit-taking. Merck sets new 52-week high on analyst upgrade
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. lawmakers launched a national security probe into Merck’s clinical trial activities in China, raising concerns about data protection, oversight, and exposure to politically sensitive trial sites. Merck faces U.S. security probe over China clinical trials
• Negative Sentiment: Broader healthcare weakness also weighed on sentiment, with the sector lower late Tuesday afternoon. Healthcare stocks softer late afternoon

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, June 6th. CICC Research assumed coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $138.00 target price on the stock. Citigroup started coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $125.00 price target on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $145.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $131.83.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 2.5%

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $125.30 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $116.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $115.06. 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. has a 1-year low of $76.66 and a 1-year high of $130.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $309.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.29, a P/E/G ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.19.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 firm had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.22 earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.7%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s payout ratio is presently 95.77%.

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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