Nuveen LLC Has $732.41 Million Stake in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• Nuveen LLC slightly increased its Merck stake in the fourth quarter, adding 49,959 shares to bring its total position to 6.96 million shares worth about $732.4 million. Institutional ownership in Merck remains high at 76.07%.
• Merck posted stronger-than-expected quarterly results, reporting a smaller-than-expected loss per share and revenue that topped estimates, while quarterly sales rose 4.9% year over year. The company also guided FY 2026 EPS to $5.04-$5.16.
• The stock continues to draw support from analysts and dividend investors, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $128.18. Merck also declared a $0.85 quarterly dividend, implying a 2.8% yield.

Nuveen LLC raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 0.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 6,958,069 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 49,959 shares during the period. Nuveen LLC owned approximately 0.28% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $732,406,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Xponance LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Xponance LLC now owns 413,211 shares of the company's stock valued at $43,495,000 after purchasing an additional 2,066 shares in the last quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd now owns 1,099,561 shares of the company's stock valued at $115,740,000 after purchasing an additional 12,438 shares in the last quarter. First Wilshire Securities Management Inc. acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $217,000. Canopy Partners LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 5.5% during the fourth quarter. Canopy Partners LLC now owns 13,690 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,441,000 after purchasing an additional 709 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Coastwise Capital Group LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Coastwise Capital Group LLC now owns 13,159 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,385,000 after purchasing an additional 315 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

NYSE MRK opened at $120.81 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $298.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.03, a PEG ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.21. Merck & Co., Inc. has a twelve month low of $76.66 and a twelve month high of $125.14. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $116.59 and a 200 day simple moving average of $113.19. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02.

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

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is presently 95.77%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on MRK shares. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $125.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, June 6th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $128.18.

Key Stories Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck Animal Health announced a definitive agreement to acquire TARGAN, adding a biodevice company focused on poultry performance and strengthening Merck’s animal health growth platform. Merck Animal Health to Acquire TARGAN
• Positive Sentiment: MRK regained its 50-day moving average and remains above its 200-day trendline, with articles pointing to Keytruda growth, pipeline advances, and recent deals as supporting factors. Merck Stock Moves Above 50-Day SMA: Assessing Its Investment Case
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo reiterated its Buy rating on Merck, reinforcing a constructive analyst view on the stock. Wells Fargo Keeps Their Buy Rating on Merck & Company (MRK)
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent “most searched stocks” and market commentary indicate rising investor attention, but do not point to a specific new fundamental development for MRK. Investors Heavily Search Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK): Here is What You Need to Know
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader healthcare-dealmaking momentum may be supportive for sector sentiment, but it is an indirect driver for Merck rather than a company-specific catalyst. Pharma and Biotech M&A Boom Accelerates as Companies Expand Pipelines
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles highlighting Merck’s recent outperformance versus its moving averages and strong Keytruda franchise are supportive, but largely reflect ongoing investor optimism rather than a new surprise. Merck Stock Moves Above 50-Day SMA: Assessing Its Investment Case
• Negative Sentiment: One market note said Merck rose but still lagged the broader market, implying investors may be favoring faster-moving names elsewhere despite MRK’s gains. Merck (MRK) Rises Yet Lags Behind Market: Some Facts Worth Knowing

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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