Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Stock Holdings Lifted by Element Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Element Capital Management increased its Merck stake by 284.6% in the fourth quarter, buying 18,112 more shares and bringing its total to 24,475 shares worth about $2.576 million.
• Merck reported quarterly earnings that beat expectations, posting EPS of -$1.28 versus the expected -$1.47 and revenue of $16.29 billion versus $15.85 billion anticipated. The company also reiterated FY 2026 guidance of $5.04 to $5.16 per share.
• Merck announced a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, payable July 8, implying an annualized yield of 2.9%. Analysts currently rate the stock a consensus Moderate Buy with an average target price of $128.18.

Element Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 284.6% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 24,475 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 18,112 shares during the period. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for approximately 1.2% of Element Capital Management LLC's holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest position. Element Capital Management LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $2,576,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the 4th 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 stake 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. Diversify Advisory Services LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% during the second quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,590,000 after acquiring an additional 15,636 shares during the period. Diversify Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% during the second quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,054,000 after acquiring an additional 6,897 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% in the 2nd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company's stock worth $53,918,000 after acquiring an additional 359,356 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.4%

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $115.67 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $285.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.58, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. The company's 50-day moving average price is $116.22 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $113.53. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $76.66 and a 52 week high of $125.14.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. The company had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 27.55%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.22 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be given a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is 95.77%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently weighed in on MRK shares. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Barclays began coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 price target on the stock. Zacks Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $145.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 6th. One investment 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 stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $128.18.

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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