Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by Yousif Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Yousif Capital Management trimmed its Merck stake by 4.8%, selling 12,636 shares and now holding 253,035 shares valued at about $27.7 million, and institutional investors own roughly 76.1% of the stock.
• Merck launched a cash tender offer to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals to bolster its oncology pipeline but lowered the offer after reviewing trial data, creating short‑term uncertainty and a modest share decline even as analysts (JPMorgan, Barclays, Wells Fargo) have raised price targets (average ~$127.6).
• Solid quarterly results and shareholder returns: Merck beat Q4 EPS and revenue estimates, set FY2026 EPS guidance of $5.00–$5.15, pays a $0.85 quarterly dividend (~2.9% yield), while insiders have sold about 320,176 shares (~$38.3M) over the past 90 days.

Yousif Capital Management LLC trimmed its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 4.8% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 253,035 shares of the company's stock after selling 12,636 shares during the quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $27,695,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. 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 buying an additional 8,710 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company's stock valued at $910,000 after buying an additional 3,941 shares during the last quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 129.1% in the second quarter. Federated Hermes Inc. now owns 667,804 shares of the company's stock valued at $52,863,000 after buying an additional 376,312 shares during the last quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the second quarter valued at about $3,788,000. Finally, L2 Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 20.2% in the second quarter. L2 Asset Management LLC now owns 7,235 shares of the company's stock valued at $573,000 after buying an additional 1,215 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan raised its price target on MRK to $135 and reiterated an Overweight rating, citing upside to the stock — a strong analyst endorsement that supports higher share valuations. JPMorgan Chase & Co. Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Merck & Co., Inc. NYSE: MRK Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Merck has commenced a cash tender offer to acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals, gaining early/mid‑stage oncology assets intended to shore up the pipeline ahead of upcoming patent expiries on key products — a strategically aligned M&A move that investors view as value‑accretive long term. Merck Begins Tender Offer to Acquire Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Fund commentary and coverage highlight Merck’s strong recent results and its appeal as a consistent dividend payer, reinforcing investor confidence in cash generation and yield support. (Includes JPMorgan’s broader endorsement noted above.) Strong Results Lifted Merck & Co (MRK) in Q4
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage pieces provide mixed context — some reiterate Merck’s defensive qualities and pipeline strength while flagging upcoming catalysts (earnings on April 30) that could swing sentiment. Analysts Offer Insights on Healthcare Companies: Merck & Company (MRK) and Agios Pharma (AGIO)
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector note: Q1 M&A activity in pharma is elevated — Merck’s deal fits a broader industry push to replenish pipelines, which is sector‑positive but increases deal execution and integration risk. Pharma, Biotech Giants Ramp Up M&A in Q1 to Boost Pipelines
• Negative Sentiment: Merck lowered its offer price for Terns after reviewing trial data, which introduces short‑term uncertainty about the deal’s perceived value and may pressure sentiment around the acquisition. Merck Lowered Terns Pharmaceuticals Offer Price After Trial Data Review
• Negative Sentiment: Merck shares showed a modest intraday decline (~1.3% in recent trade) while broader markets improved, signaling profit‑taking or headline sensitivity around the Terns deal and valuation debate. Merck (MRK) Stock Declines While Market Improves: Some Information for Investors
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary questioning whether defensive stocks like Merck are overbought may encourage short‑term selling among rotation traders despite positive fundamentals. Is It Too Late to Buy Costco or Merck? Are These Defensive Stocks Overbought?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Barclays started coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They issued an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 price objective for the company. Zacks Research raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $127.59.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 1.6%

Shares of NYSE:MRK opened at $118.91 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $293.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 0.26. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $73.31 and a 1-year high of $125.14. The company's fifty day moving average is $118.21 and its two-hundred day moving average is $103.93. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.54.

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

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Shareholders 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 dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 16th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is 46.70%.

Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the company'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 transaction, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,211,341.40. This represents a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 37,685 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.92, for a total transaction of $4,556,870.20. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 160,174 shares of the company's stock, valued at $19,368,240.08. This represents a 19.05% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 320,176 shares of company stock valued at $38,281,735 in the last ninety days. 0.09% of the stock is owned by 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.

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