Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Purchased by Ameritas Advisory Services LLC

Ameritas Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 48.8% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 29,071 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 9,540 shares during the period. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $3,736,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MRK. Round Rock Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.7% in the 2nd quarter. Round Rock Advisors LLC now owns 9,901 shares of the company's stock worth $1,272,000 after buying an additional 66 shares in the last quarter. Cascade Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.5% in the second quarter. Cascade Financial Partners LLC now owns 14,746 shares of the company's stock worth $1,895,000 after purchasing an additional 80 shares during the period. Somerset Trust Co boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Somerset Trust Co now owns 8,701 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,118,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% during the 2nd quarter. Stonebridge Financial Group LLC now owns 8,747 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,124,000 after purchasing an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stronghold Wealth Management L.L.C. increased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Stronghold Wealth Management L.L.C. now owns 3,237 shares of the company's stock valued at $416,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRK has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. CICC Research started coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $138.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and increased their target price for the company from $116.00 to $179.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada downgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from an "outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $142.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $149.80.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 1.3%

NYSE:MRK opened at $148.44 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $366.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 118.75, a PEG ratio of 6.54 and a beta of 0.21. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $77.58 and a 1-year high of $156.92. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. The business's fifty day moving average price is $135.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $123.92.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. The company had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 4.77%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.13 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

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

Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP David Williams sold 52,847 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.77, for a total transaction of $6,805,108.19. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 31,716 shares in the company, valued at $4,084,069.32. The trade was a 62.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP David Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total transaction of $2,407,836.32. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,212 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,344,248.64. This trade represents a 50.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim raised its price target to $170 from $146 and reiterated a “Buy” rating, implying roughly 14.5% upside from the referenced price. The upgrade provides a bullish signal and may support MRK by indicating confidence in Merck’s earnings outlook and product pipeline. Benzinga analyst note
• Positive Sentiment: Keytruda continues to drive Merck’s growth, while newer products and pipeline programs could help offset the expected impact of the drug’s 2028 patent cliff. The company’s strong recent return and revenue momentum reinforce the longer-term growth case. Merck trading near 52-week high analysis
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck will participate in Morgan Stanley’s 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference. The event could provide updates on Keytruda, Gardasil, pipeline assets, and post-2028 planning, but no new financial information was disclosed in the announcement. Morgan Stanley healthcare conference announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck is participating in a cocoa traceability and digital product-passport pilot with The Hashgraph Group and PwC Germany. The initiative may support corporate sustainability efforts but is unlikely to materially affect near-term earnings. Cocoa traceability partnership
• Negative Sentiment: MRK’s valuation is elevated after its substantial rally, increasing the risk that investors will demand continued strong execution. Analysts and investors are also watching whether Merck can replace Keytruda revenue after the 2028 patent expiration. Merck Gardasil and future growth analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Gardasil’s earlier sales decline remains part of the investment debate, even though management is now emphasizing longer-term growth opportunities. Continued vaccine-market pressure could weigh on sentiment until the company demonstrates a sustained recovery. Gardasil outlook analysis

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets worldwide through its Human Health and Animal Health businesses.

Merck's pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious disease, cardiology, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Its products include Keytruda, an immunotherapy used to treat various cancers; Gardasil, a vaccine that helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV); and Januvia, a treatment for type 2 diabetes.

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