Jackson Square Capital LLC Acquires Shares of 9,701 Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Jackson Square Capital LLC acquired a new stake of 9,701 shares in Merck during Q4, valued at approximately $1.02 million.
• Multiple major analysts have raised price targets and upgraded MRK — including Bank of America, JPMorgan, UBS and Deutsche Bank — leaving a MarketBeat consensus of a “Moderate Buy” with a consensus price target of $127.59.
• Merck beat Q4 estimates (EPS $2.04 vs. $2.01; revenue $16.40B vs. $16.19B), set FY2026 EPS guidance of 5.00–5.15, and has launched a tender offer to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals to expand its oncology pipeline.

Jackson Square Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 9,701 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,021,000.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MRK. Darwin Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 237.4% in the third quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC now owns 307 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 302.3% in the third quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 354 shares of the company's stock valued at $30,000 after buying an additional 266 shares in the last quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the second quarter valued at $31,000. United Financial Planning Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the third quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Wealth Watch Advisors INC bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the third quarter valued at $34,000. 76.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Wolfe Research raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $135.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $127.59.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

NYSE MRK opened at $123.25 on Thursday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $73.31 and a 52-week high of $125.14. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $118.54 and a 200 day simple moving average of $104.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.54. The company has a market capitalization of $304.73 billion, a PE ratio of 16.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 0.26.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.01 by $0.03. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 28.08% and a return on equity of 44.57%. The business had revenue of $16.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.19 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.72 earnings per share. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000-5.150 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th were issued a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 16th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.70%.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck launched a cash tender offer to buy Terns Pharmaceuticals, accelerating an acquisition that expands its oncology and hematology pipeline ahead of patent expiries for key products — a strategic move that can support future revenue. Merck Begins Tender Offer to Acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan and other analysts have raised price targets / reiterated Overweight views on MRK, signaling institutional confidence that Merck shares still have upside — a catalyst for buying interest. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Merck & Co., Inc. NYSE: MRK Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s recent quarterly results beat estimates, revenue grew year-over-year and the company set FY2026 EPS guidance — underpinning valuation and investor confidence in near-term fundamentals. Strong Results Lifted Merck & Co (MRK) in Q4
• Positive Sentiment: Merck is highlighted among consistent dividend stocks, which can attract income-focused and defensive investors amid market uncertainty. Is Merck & Co. (MRK) One of the Best Consistent Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck lowered its offer price for Terns after reviewing trial data, a detail that changes deal economics and signals the firm is calibrating cost vs. risk — ambiguous for MRK shareholders (lower cash outlay vs. potential pipeline concerns). Merck Lowered Terns Pharmaceuticals Offer Price After Trial Data Review
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces are reassessing Merck’s valuation after strong price momentum; momentum supports higher multiples, but some analysts flag S&P 500 reweighting and valuation headwinds. Assessing Merck (MRK) Valuation After Strong Recent Share Price Momentum
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysis explains the Terns deal’s role in Merck’s pipeline and how it could affect S&P 500 valuation exposure — useful context but not an immediate share-mover. Merck’s NYSE: MRK Terns Deal And S&P 500 Valuation Impact Explained
• Negative Sentiment: Some intraday weakness was reported recently as the broader market improved — a reminder that short-term pullbacks can occur even with positive headlines. Merck (MRK) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary questioning whether Merck is overbought warns of near-term valuation risk after a big run — a potential headwind for momentum traders. Is It Too Late to Buy Costco or Merck? Are These Defensive Stocks Overbought?

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

In related news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total transaction of $14,485,422.95. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,211,341.40. This trade represents a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP David Michael Williams sold 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.91, for a total transaction of $609,550.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 30,838 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,759,460.58. This trade represents a 13.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 320,176 shares of company stock valued at $38,281,735 in the last three months. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MRK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.