Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Acquired by Lmcg Investments LLC

Key Points

• Lmcg Investments LLC boosted its Merck stake by 14.8% in Q4, adding 18,415 shares to hold 142,525 shares valued at about $15.0 million, while institutional investors own roughly 76.07% of MRK.
• Company insiders have been net sellers: EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares for about $14.5 million and insiders have sold 189,258 shares (≈$22.7 million) in the past 90 days.
• Operational and analyst outlook: Merck beat Q1 revenue and EPS estimates, set FY2026 guidance of $5.04–$5.16 EPS, and carries a "Moderate Buy" consensus with a $128.18 average price target, alongside strategic moves like the Terns acquisition and an FDA breakthrough designation for TERN-701.

Lmcg Investments LLC increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 14.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 142,525 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 18,415 shares during the period. Lmcg Investments LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $15,002,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 254,322,763 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,770,014,000 after buying an additional 2,185,853 shares during the last quarter. DLD Asset Management LP grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 30.1% during the 3rd quarter. DLD Asset Management LP now owns 47,500,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,986,675,000 after buying an additional 11,000,000 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 5.9% during the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 20,659,157 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,733,923,000 after buying an additional 1,156,112 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 16.6% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 19,844,936 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,665,585,000 after buying an additional 2,821,766 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ameriprise Financial Inc. raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 20.7% in the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 15,933,909 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,336,877,000 after buying an additional 2,735,459 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In related news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total value of $14,485,422.95. Following the transaction, 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 sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total value of $1,184,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 70,615 shares in the company, valued at $8,361,522.15. The trade was a 12.40% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 189,258 shares of company stock valued at $22,663,993 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on MRK. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Wolfe Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $135.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. Zacks Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. One equities research 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's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $128.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.3%

Shares of NYSE:MRK opened at $113.53 on Thursday. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $117.31 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $108.12. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12-month low of $73.31 and a 12-month high of $125.14. The firm has a market cap of $280.39 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.98, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates 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 analyst estimates of $15.85 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.22 EPS. The firm'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, research analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.15 EPS for the current year.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst lifts Merck price target after Q1 beat — a recent note raised the target following Merck’s better-than-expected Q1 results, reinforcing upside potential and supporting investor sentiment. Analyst Raises Merck (MRK) Price Target by $1 After Beating Q1 Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital reiterates Buy — institutional support from BMO keeps conviction in Merck’s growth and pipeline prospects, which can bolster demand for the stock. BMO Capital Remains a Buy on Merck & Company (MRK)
• Positive Sentiment: Merck completes acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals — closing Terns adds oncology assets and near-term R&D value that could lift future revenue if assets progress. Merck Completes Acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory boost for Terns’ candidate — MSD/ Merck’s TERN-701 received FDA breakthrough therapy designation for Ph+ CML (non-T315I), enhancing the strategic value of the acquired pipeline. MSD concludes Terns acquisition to expand CML pipeline
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage from Citigroup is Neutral with a $125 target — adds a fresh perspective but the rating is not bullish, leaving room for mixed investor reactions. Citigroup coverage note (summary)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst pieces highlight valuation debate after a pullback — some outlets argue Merck remains attractive on Keytruda growth and pipeline, while others point to conflicting valuation signals that could limit near-term gains. Is Merck (MRK) Still Attractive After Recent Pullback And Conflicting Valuation Signals
• Negative Sentiment: Shares slipped after the earnings report despite the beat — the market reaction suggests investors are cautious about near-term headwinds or valuation, which can pressure the stock in the short term. Merck Stock Looks Undervalued as KEYTRUDA Growth and Pipeline Offset Near-Term Headwinds

Merck & Co., Inc. 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.

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