Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC Has $1.27 Million Stock Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Marathon Trading trimmed its stake in Merck by 54.5% in Q3, selling 18,100 shares and leaving the firm with 15,121 shares valued at $1,269,000.
• Company insiders have been net sellers — CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares and EVP David Michael Williams sold 5,000 shares recently, with insiders offloading 320,176 shares worth $38.28M over the last 90 days and owning just 0.09% of the stock.
• Merck slightly beat quarterly EPS estimates ($2.04 vs. $2.01), set FY2026 guidance of $5.00–$5.15, announced a $0.85 quarterly dividend (2.9% yield), and benefits from late‑stage oncology/HIV trial wins even as weak Gardasil sales weigh on near‑term growth.

Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 54.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 15,121 shares of the company's stock after selling 18,100 shares during the quarter. Marathon Trading Investment Management LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $1,269,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,808,000 after purchasing an additional 8,710 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% during the 2nd 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 period. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT lifted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.3% during the 2nd quarter. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT now owns 5,591 shares of the company's stock worth $443,000 after buying an additional 178 shares during the period. ProShare Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 6.4% in the 2nd quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 611,733 shares of the company's stock valued at $48,425,000 after buying an additional 37,005 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allworth Financial LP grew its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 15.0% in the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 119,871 shares of the company's stock valued at $9,489,000 after buying an additional 15,679 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total value of $1,184,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief marketing officer directly owned 70,615 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,361,522.15. The trade was a 12.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP David Michael Williams sold 5,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.91, for a total value of $609,550.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 30,838 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,759,460.58. This trade represents a 13.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 320,176 shares of company stock worth $38,281,735 over the last 90 days. 0.09% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Late‑stage trial wins for oncology and HIV programs (KEYTRUDA, WELIREG regimens and DOR/ISL HIV therapy) that show improved survival and broadened indications—these readouts raise near‑term revenue potential and long‑term pipeline value. Merck Trial Wins Shape Oncology And HIV Prospects For Investors
• Positive Sentiment: Stock moving higher within the S&P 500 — market‑level strength and rotation into large pharma/defensive names is supporting MRK’s price action. Merck & Co. NYSE: MRK Moves Higher Within S&P 500 Index Amid Gains
• Positive Sentiment: Expanding neuroendocrine carcinoma market and other oncology indications — market forecasts to 2036 increase the addressable opportunity for Merck’s targeted therapies, supporting longer‑term growth assumptions for KEYTRUDA and companion assets. Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Market Poised for Significant Growth During the Forecast Period (2026-2036) Driven by Rising Incidence and Advancements in Targeted Therapies | DelveInsight
• Neutral Sentiment: Vaccine franchise market reports (Ervebo, M‑M‑R II, Pneumovax 23, Elonva) highlight steady long‑term demand and niche growth opportunities—positive background but unlikely to move near‑term results absent new approvals or major contract wins. Ervebo (Merck & Co) Market Research Report 2026: Epidemiology, Pipeline Analysis, Trends, Strategies, & Forecasts, 2020-2025, 2025-2030F, 2035F
• Negative Sentiment: Persistent weakness in Gardasil sales (down ~39% in 2025 with weak China demand) — management expects no near‑term rebound, which pressures top‑line growth and investor expectations for vaccine contribution to revenue. Will Weak Gardasil Sales Continue to Weigh on MRK's Top Line in 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: RBC caution on Winrevair — analyst says the COPD candidate must show a ≥20‑meter improvement in 6‑minute walk to restore confidence; this raises clinical/regulatory uncertainty that could limit upside for that program. Merck's Winrevair Must Show Walk Distance Improvement to Build Confidence, RBC Says

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $117.14 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $289.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.09, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.27. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $73.31 and a 52-week high of $125.14. 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 stock's 50 day moving average price is $114.64 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $99.14.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 company had revenue of $16.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $1.72 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue for the quarter 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, equities analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 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 Tuesday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is 46.70%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on MRK shares. Wolfe Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $135.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Scotiabank upped their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $82.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $125.88.

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.

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.