Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Purchased by Alyeska Investment Group L.P.

Key Points

• Alyeska Investment Group increased its Merck stake by 7.6% in the second quarter, bringing its holdings to 2.48 million shares valued at approximately $318.8 million. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 76.07% of Merck.
• Analysts maintain a generally positive view, with 15 Buy ratings and 8 Hold ratings. Merck has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $147.60.
• Merck reported quarterly revenue of $16.61 billion, ahead of expectations, while adjusted EPS also beat estimates. The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, representing a $3.40 annualized payout and a 2.3% yield.

Alyeska Investment Group L.P. raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 7.6% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,480,590 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 175,016 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for approximately 0.8% of Alyeska Investment Group L.P.'s portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest position. Alyeska Investment Group L.P. owned about 0.10% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $318,756,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter worth about $3,997,933,000. Wellington Management Group LLP boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 14.8% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 86,435,458 shares of the company's stock valued at $9,098,196,000 after buying an additional 11,156,354 shares during the period. Cardano Risk Management B.V. acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,012,530,000. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 37.9% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,753,390 shares of the company's stock worth $1,973,983,000 after purchasing an additional 5,152,069 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP lifted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 985.4% during the 4th quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 3,969,469 shares of the company's stock worth $417,826,000 after purchasing an additional 3,603,769 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 52,847 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.77, for a total value of $6,805,108.19. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 31,716 shares of the company's stock, valued at $4,084,069.32. This represents a 62.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 15,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.00, for a total transaction of $1,965,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 46,613 shares in the company, valued at $6,106,303. This trade represents a 24.35% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. Insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently commented on the company. Bank of America increased their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Argus upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, August 25th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Scotiabank boosted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $136.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "sector outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $147.60.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

NYSE MRK opened at $148.30 on Friday. The business's 50-day moving average price is $131.78 and its 200 day moving average price is $122.41. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $77.58 and a 52-week high of $156.92. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. The firm has a market cap of $365.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 118.64, a P/E/G ratio of 6.22 and a beta of 0.19.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. The company had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.13 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s payout ratio is 272.00%.

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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