Mondrian Investment Partners LTD Sells 38,085 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Mondrian Investment Partners trimmed its Merck stake by 2.3% in the fourth quarter, selling 38,085 shares but still holding 1,610,232 shares valued at about $169.5 million.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive overall, with Merck carrying a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a consensus price target of $128.18, while several firms recently raised targets or reiterated bullish views.
• Merck’s oncology pipeline is drawing attention after encouraging Keytruda combination trial data and a positive EU opinion for Keytruda plus Padcev, though weak Gardasil sales remain a headwind outside cancer drugs.

Mondrian Investment Partners LTD lowered its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 2.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,610,232 shares of the company's stock after selling 38,085 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. comprises 2.7% of Mondrian Investment Partners LTD's portfolio, making the stock its 12th biggest holding. Mondrian Investment Partners LTD owned 0.06% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $169,493,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. High Note Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the fourth quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Tucker Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. Entrust Financial LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, United Financial Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the third quarter worth about $31,000. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently issued reports on MRK. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Zacks Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, March 30th. UBS Group increased their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. Finally, Barclays started coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 price target for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $128.18.

Key Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck and partner Sichuan Kelun-Biotech reported encouraging late-stage lung cancer data for a Keytruda combination, with the treatment beating Keytruda alone and improving confidence in Merck’s cancer pipeline. Kelun, Merck's lung cancer combo improves survival in late-stage China trial
• Positive Sentiment: The European Medicines Agency’s CHMP issued a positive opinion for Keytruda plus Padcev as a perioperative treatment for certain bladder cancer patients, which could expand the drug pair’s commercial reach if formally approved. Merck Receives Positive EU CHMP Opinion for KEYTRUDA Plus Padcev
• Positive Sentiment: Additional coverage highlighted positive EU recommendations and trial momentum across Merck’s oncology portfolio, suggesting the company is building new growth drivers ahead of future Keytruda patent pressure. Merck stock jumps as Keytruda combo trials boost cancer pipeline
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary noted Gardasil sales remain weak due to soft demand in China and other markets, which is a reminder that Merck still has headwinds outside oncology. Will Weak Gardasil Sales Continue to Ail MRK's Vaccines Sales in 2026?
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s recent run-up also reflects broader investor optimism after strong quarterly results and improving sentiment around its pipeline, rather than a single one-day event. Merck Stock Climbs on Cancer Data. Why the Drugmaker Is More Than a One-Trick Pony.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

NYSE MRK opened at $122.55 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $302.67 billion, a PE ratio of 34.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.18. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $115.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $110.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.06. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $75.40 and a 1-year 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) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.22 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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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