Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Price, News & Analysis

Company Overview

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Founded in 1891 as an American extension of the German Merck family’s business, it has grown into one of the largest and most respected names in healthcare. From its early work on insulin production to its leadership in vaccine development, Merck has maintained a strong commitment to scientific innovation and public health.

The company’s principal business activities span the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription medicines, vaccines and animal health products. Merck’s human health portfolio includes therapies in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, cardiometabolic disorders and neuroscience. Key products include leading cancer immunotherapies and vaccines designed to prevent diseases such as HPV, shingles and pneumonia. Its Animal Health division offers vaccines, pharmaceuticals and services aimed at improving the health and productivity of livestock and companion animals.

Research and development play a central role in Merck’s strategy. The company operates research facilities in North America, Europe and Asia, and engages in collaborations with academic institutions, biotech firms and health organizations worldwide. Over its history, Merck has introduced numerous breakthrough therapies, including the first mumps vaccine in the 1960s and pioneering antiviral treatments. Its robust pipeline addresses both established and emerging health challenges, reflecting a sustained investment in early-stage research through late-stage clinical development.

Merck serves customers in more than 140 countries, supported by a network of manufacturing sites and distribution partners. Its leadership team is led by President and CEO Robert M. Davis, who brings decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. The board of directors provides governance and oversight under the chairmanship of Kenneth C. Frazier, a former CEO who guided the company through significant growth and diversification. Together, Merck’s leadership fosters a culture of integrity, patient focus and shared value for stakeholders worldwide.

Key Stats

• Today's Range: $81.46 to $82.64
• 50-Day Range: $73.46 to $84.06
• 52-Week Range: $73.31 to $129.03
• Volume: 11.52 million shs
• Average Volume: 13.44 million shs
• Market Capitalization: $207.02 billion
• P/E Ratio: 12.00
• Dividend Yield: 3.93%
• Price Target: $108.69
• Consensus Rating: Hold

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Analysis - MarketRank™

Merck & Co., Inc. scored higher than 100% of companies evaluated by MarketBeat, and ranked 4th out of 940 stocks in the medical sector. Scores are calculated by averaging available category scores, with extra weight given to analysis and valuation.

Analyst's Opinion

• Score: 3.2 / 5
• Analyst Rating: Hold

Consensus Rating

Merck & Co., Inc. has received a consensus rating of Hold. The company's average rating score is 2.43, and is based on 6 buy ratings, 12 hold ratings, and 1 sell rating.

Amount of Analyst Coverage

Merck & Co., Inc. has only been the subject of 4 research reports in the past 90 days.

Earnings and Valuation

• Score: 3.8 / 5
• Proj. Earnings Growth: 9.88%

Earnings Growth

Earnings for Merck & Co., Inc. are expected to grow by 9.88% in the coming year, from $9.01 to $9.90 per share.

Price to Earnings Ratio vs. the Market

The P/E ratio of Merck & Co., Inc. is 11.99, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the market average P/E ratio of about 26.71.

Price to Earnings Ratio vs. Sector

The P/E ratio of Merck & Co., Inc. is 11.99, which means that it is trading at a less expensive P/E ratio than the Medical sector average P/E ratio of about 28.63.

Price to Earnings Growth Ratio

Merck & Co., Inc. has a PEG Ratio of 0.87. PEG Ratios below 1 indicate that a company could be undervalued.

Price to Book Value per Share Ratio

Merck & Co., Inc. has a P/B Ratio of 4.49. P/B Ratios above 3 indicate that a company could be overvalued with respect to its assets and liabilities.

Short Interest

• Score: 4.0 / 5
• Short Interest Level: Healthy

Percentage of Shares Shorted

1.40% of the float of Merck & Co., Inc. has been sold short.

Short Interest Ratio / Days to Cover

Merck & Co., Inc. has a short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 2.1, which is generally considered an acceptable ratio of short interest to trading volume.

Change versus previous month

Short interest in Merck & Co., Inc. has recently decreased by 1.98%, indicating that investor sentiment is improving.

Dividend

• Score: 5.0 / 5
• Dividend Strength: Strong

Dividend Leadership

Merck & Co., Inc. is a leading dividend payer. It pays a dividend yield of 3.89%, putting its dividend yield in the top 25% of dividend-paying stocks.

Dividend Growth

Merck & Co., Inc. has been increasing its dividend for 14 years.

Dividend Coverage

The dividend payout ratio of Merck & Co., Inc. is 47.16%. This payout ratio is at a healthy, sustainable level, below 75%.

Dividend Sustainability

Based on earnings estimates, Merck & Co., Inc. will have a dividend payout ratio of 32.73% next year. This indicates that Merck & Co., Inc. will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.

Sustainability and ESG

• Score: 4.2 / 5
• Environmental Score: -2.49

Percentage of Shares Shorted

1.40% of the float of Merck & Co., Inc. has been sold short.

Short Interest Ratio / Days to Cover

Merck & Co., Inc. has a short interest ratio ("days to cover") of 2.1, which is generally considered an acceptable ratio of short interest to trading volume.

Change versus previous month

Short interest in Merck & Co., Inc. has recently decreased by 1.98%, indicating that investor sentiment is improving.

News and Social Media

• Score: 4.0 / 5
• News Sentiment: 1.11

News Sentiment

Merck & Co., Inc. has a news sentiment score of 1.11. This score is calculated as an average of sentiment of articles about the company over the last seven days and ranges from 2 (good news) to -2 (bad news). This is a higher news sentiment than the 0.97 average news sentiment score of Medical companies.

News Coverage This Week

MarketBeat has tracked 75 news articles for Merck & Co., Inc. this week, compared to 58 articles on an average week.

Search Interest

147 people have searched for MRK on MarketBeat in the last 30 days. This is an increase of 47% compared to the previous 30 days.

MarketBeat Follows

34 people have added Merck & Co., Inc. to their MarketBeat watchlist in the last 30 days. This is an increase of 3% compared to the previous 30 days.

Company Ownership

• Score: 2.5 / 5
• Insider Trading: Selling Shares

Insider Buying vs. Insider Selling

In the past three months, Merck & Co., Inc. insiders have sold more of their company's stock than they have bought. Specifically, they have bought $0.00 in company stock and sold $352,723.00 in company stock.

Percentage Held by Insiders

Only 0.09% of the stock of Merck & Co., Inc. is held by insiders.

Percentage Held by Institutions

76.07% of the stock of Merck & Co., Inc. is held by institutions. High institutional ownership can be a signal of strong market trust in this company.

MRK Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

How have MRK shares performed this year?

Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock was trading at $99.48 on January 1st, 2025. Since then, MRK stock has decreased by 17.2% and is now trading at $82.3890.

How were Merck & Co., Inc.'s earnings last quarter?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April, 24th. The company reported $2.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.16 by $0.06. The company's quarterly revenue was down 1.6% on a year-over-year basis.
Read the conference call transcript.

Is Merck & Co., Inc. buying back stock?

Merck & Co., Inc.'s board initiated a share repurchase plan on Tuesday, January 28th 2025, which authorizes the company to buy back $10,000,000,000 in shares, according to EventVestor. This means that the company could purchase up to 4.1% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company's board believes its stock is undervalued.

Who are Merck & Co., Inc.'s major shareholders?

Merck & Co., Inc.'s top institutional shareholders include Swedbank AB (0.31%), Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC (0.13%), Assenagon Asset Management S.A. (0.07%) and Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC (0.07%). Insiders that own company stock include Kenneth C Frazier, Robert M Davis, Richard R Deluca, Rita A Karachun, Steven Mizell, Joseph Romanelli, Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen, Dalton E Smart III, Cristal N Downing, Inge G Thulin and Sanat Chattopadhyay.
View institutional ownership trends.

How do I buy shares of Merck & Co., Inc.?

Shares of MRK stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services.

What other stocks do shareholders of Merck & Co., Inc. own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some other companies that Merck & Co., Inc. investors own include Chevron (CVX), Salesforce (CRM), Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY), Comcast (CMCSA), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), AbbVie (ABBV) and Home Depot (HD).

Company Calendar

• Last Earnings: 4/24/2025
• Record date for 7/8 Dividend: 6/16/2025
• Ex-Dividend for 7/8 Dividend: 6/16/2025
• Dividend Payable: 7/08/2025
• Today: 7/16/2025
• Next Earnings (Estimated): 7/29/2025
• Fiscal Year End: 12/31/2025

Industry, Sector and Symbol

• Stock Exchange: NYSE
• Sector: Medical
• Industry: Large Cap Pharma
• Sub-Industry: Pharmaceuticals
• Current Symbol: NYSE:MRK
• CIK: 310158
• Web: www.merck.com
• Phone: (908) 740-4000
• Fax: 908-735-1253
• Employees: 75,000
• Year Founded: 1891

Price Target and Rating

• Average Price Target for Merck & Co., Inc.: $108.69
• High Price Target: $140.00
• Low Price Target: $84.00
• Potential Upside/Downside: +32.0%
• Consensus Rating: Hold
• Rating Score (0-4): 2.43
• Research Coverage: 21 Analysts

Profitability

• EPS (Trailing Twelve Months): $6.87
• Trailing P/E Ratio: 11.96
• Forward P/E Ratio: 9.14
• P/E Growth: 0.87
• Net Income: $17.12 billion
• Net Margins: 27.27%
• Pretax Margin: 31.55%
• Return on Equity: 43.23%
• Return on Assets: 17.11%

Debt

• Debt-to-Equity Ratio: 0.69
• Current Ratio: 1.41
• Quick Ratio: 1.16

Sales & Book Value

• Annual Sales: $63.92 billion
• Price / Sales: 3.23
• Cash Flow: $9.32 per share
• Price / Cash Flow: 8.84
• Book Value: $18.33 per share
• Price / Book: 4.49

Miscellaneous

• Outstanding Shares: 2,511,031,000
• Free Float: 2,508,771,000
• Market Cap: $206.78 billion
• Optionable: Optionable
• Beta: 0.39