TD Asset Management Inc Grows Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Key Points

• TD Asset Management increased its Merck stake by 7.3% in the fourth quarter, adding 152,026 shares and bringing its position to 2.23 million shares worth about $234.8 million.
• Merck’s latest earnings topped expectations, with EPS of -$1.28 versus the -$1.47 estimate and revenue of $16.29 billion, up 4.9% year over year. The company also reaffirmed FY2026 guidance of $5.04 to $5.16 EPS.
• Merck announced a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, equal to an annualized yield of about 3.0%. Meanwhile, analysts remain broadly constructive, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $128.18.

TD Asset Management Inc grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Free Report) by 7.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,230,821 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 152,026 shares during the period. TD Asset Management Inc owned 0.09% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $234,816,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 4.4% in the fourth quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 576,959 shares of the company's stock valued at $60,731,000 after purchasing an additional 24,576 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 48.9% during the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 97,818 shares of the company's stock valued at $10,296,000 after buying an additional 32,114 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 12.7% during the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 123,366 shares of the company's stock valued at $10,364,000 after buying an additional 13,940 shares during the period. NEOS Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 39.9% during the 3rd quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC now owns 347,684 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,181,000 after buying an additional 99,074 shares during the period. Finally, Campbell Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter valued at $1,866,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company's stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MRK opened at $114.92 on Thursday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $76.66 and a 1-year high of $125.14. The business has a 50-day moving average of $116.44 and a 200-day moving average of $112.13. 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 has a market capitalization of $283.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.37, a PEG ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.21.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The company had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.22 earnings per share. The company'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. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed 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 3.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend payout ratio is presently 95.77%.

Trending Headlines about Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have been raising Merck price targets, with some moving estimates from $135 to $150, as optimism builds around pipeline assets such as Sac TMT and TERN-701. This suggests Wall Street sees more upside if key trials and deal terms develop favorably. How Recent Pipeline Bets Are Rewriting the Story for Merck (MRK)
• Positive Sentiment: Merck received FDA breakthrough therapy designation for calderasib, a potential sign of regulatory momentum for one of its pipeline programs. That kind of update can support sentiment by improving the odds of future commercialization. Merck & Co. (MRK) Announces FDA’s Grant of Breakthrough Therapy Designation for Calderasib
• Positive Sentiment: Merck continues to highlight its oncology strategy and clinical pipeline at ASCO and other healthcare conferences, which keeps investors focused on longer-term growth opportunities beyond Keytruda. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Presents at American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2026 - Slideshow
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck also announced a quarterly dividend and participated in investor-conference coverage, both of which reinforce its stable income profile and keep the company in focus, but are not major near-term catalysts. Merck & Co. (MRK) Announces Quarterly Dividend Merck to Participate in the Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference
• Negative Sentiment: Some articles compare Merck unfavorably with peers or suggest the stock may not be the top biotech winner this year, which can weigh on sentiment if investors rotate toward faster-growing names. Meet the Biotech Stock That's Trouncing Lilly, Merck, and Pfizer in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Merck’s recent notes offering may strengthen its capital structure, but debt issuance can also remind investors of balance-sheet leverage and financing needs. Merck (MRK) Strengthens Capital Structure With Notes Offering

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the subject of several research reports. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Zacks Research raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company decreased their target price 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. One equities research 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. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price 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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