Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Stock: State of Alaska Department of Revenue Reduces Stake

Key Points

• Alaska’s Department of Revenue reduced its Merck stake by 2.8% in the third quarter, selling 8,294 shares and retaining 291,587 shares valued at approximately $42.4 million. Institutional investors collectively own 76.07% of Merck.
• Merck shares opened at $145.66, near the analyst consensus price target of $151.92. Analysts rate the stock “Moderate Buy,” while the company reported quarterly revenue of $16.61 billion and reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $2.66–$2.76.
• Merck maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.85, equivalent to a 2.3% annual yield, but investors face a high payout ratio and longer-term risks from Keytruda biosimilar competition, Gardasil weakness in China, and the need for successful pipeline launches.

State of Alaska Department of Revenue trimmed its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 2.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 291,587 shares of the company's stock after selling 8,294 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $42,370,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 226,999,837 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,169,479,000 after acquiring an additional 1,073,507 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 120,413,256 shares of the company's stock worth $15,573,754,000 after acquiring an additional 1,087,583 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.3% in the 2nd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 86,249,283 shares of the company's stock worth $11,083,033,000 after acquiring an additional 1,934,312 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.5% during the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 30,774,221 shares of the company's stock worth $3,701,831,000 after purchasing an additional 2,919,780 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. lifted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.5% during the 4th quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 20,546,185 shares of the company's stock worth $2,162,691,000 after purchasing an additional 701,249 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $145.66 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $359.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 116.53, a PEG ratio of 6.81 and a beta of 0.21. 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 company has a 50 day moving average price of $145.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $129.12. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $82.01 and a 52 week high of $156.92.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. The company had revenue of $16.61 billion during 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 for the quarter was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.13 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.66 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 272.00%.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck plans to present first-time pivotal Phase 3 data at ESMO 2026 for oncology programs including melanoma and endometrial cancer. The company will also hold an oncology investor event, potentially giving investors greater visibility into growth opportunities beyond Keytruda. What Could Merck Reveal At ESMO 2026 About Its Oncology Pipeline?
• Positive Sentiment: CEO Rob Davis said Merck and Moderna expect manufacturing of their personalized cancer vaccine to become faster over time. Improving production efficiency could support broader commercialization of the vaccine, although manufacturing remains complex. Merck CEO Tells CNBC He Expects Breakthrough Cancer Vaccine Will Become Faster to Make
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts expect Keytruda sales growth, newer product launches and expanded indications to support third-quarter revenue. However, biosimilar competition is expected to become a more significant risk in 2028–2029, making pipeline execution increasingly important. Will Keytruda Continue to Aid Merck's Top Line in Q3 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s dividend yield is about 2.3%, but comparisons with Amgen highlight differing levels of dividend coverage and cash-flow flexibility. The analysis may influence income-focused investors but does not introduce a new company-specific catalyst. AMGN vs. MRK: Which Pharma Giant's Dividend Actually Has Room to Grow
• Negative Sentiment: Merck trades at a premium valuation of roughly 5.5 times sales, increasing the market’s expectations for sustained growth. Investors are also monitoring the changing emphasis in management’s strategy and continuing challenges for the Gardasil vaccine business in China. How Has Merck's Story Changed?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on the company. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $137.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 23rd. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $179.00 to $177.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Finally, Scotiabank lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a "sector outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 29th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $151.92.

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

In other news, EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total transaction of $1,350,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 36,613 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,942,755. The trade was a 21.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP David Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 18,212 shares in the company, 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. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock valued at $29,977,783. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company's stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets around the world, with research and commercial operations spanning multiple geographic regions.

Its pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious-disease, cardiovascular, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Key products include Keytruda, an oncology treatment; Gardasil, a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; Januvia and Janumet for type 2 diabetes; Bridion for anesthesia-related use; and Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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