Morningstar Investment Management LLC Sells 93,011 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Morningstar Investment Management cut its Merck stake by 68.8% in the fourth quarter, selling 93,011 shares and leaving it with 42,255 shares worth about $4.45 million.
• Merck’s latest quarterly results beat expectations, with revenue of $16.29 billion and EPS of ($1.28), better than analysts’ estimate of ($1.47). The company also reaffirmed FY 2026 EPS guidance of $5.04 to $5.16.
• Investor sentiment remains supported by encouraging oncology pipeline news, including positive late-stage Keytruda combination data in lung cancer and a favorable EU opinion for Keytruda plus Padcev in bladder cancer.

Morningstar Investment Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 68.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 42,255 shares of the company's stock after selling 93,011 shares during the quarter. Morningstar Investment Management LLC's holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $4,448,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Genus Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter worth about $5,837,000. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 7.0% during the fourth quarter. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC now owns 52,485 shares of the company's stock worth $5,525,000 after buying an additional 3,434 shares during the last quarter. Wealthquest Corp grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.1% during the fourth quarter. Wealthquest Corp now owns 17,556 shares of the company's stock worth $1,848,000 after buying an additional 535 shares during the last quarter. Kuhn & Co Investment Counsel bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter worth about $229,000. Finally, Prospera Financial Services Inc grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 6.3% during the fourth quarter. Prospera Financial Services Inc now owns 117,517 shares of the company's stock worth $12,377,000 after buying an additional 6,991 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

MRK opened at $122.55 on Monday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a one year low of $75.40 and a one year high of $125.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $115.92 and its 200-day simple moving average is $110.41. The stock has a market capitalization of $302.67 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.18.

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, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 27.55%. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $15.85 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc.'s revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on MRK. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, May 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Friday, February 20th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $140.00 price objective on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $128.18.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

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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