Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Forecast & Price Target

$142.66 +0.72 (+0.50%)

Closing price 10/7/2026 03:58 PM Eastern

Extended Trading

$142.06 -0.60 (-0.42%)

As of 09:27 AM Eastern

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Merck & Co., Inc. - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Moderate Buy

Based on 27 Analyst Ratings

Sell
0

Hold
10

Buy
17

Based on 27 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Merck & Co., Inc. in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 27 analysts, 10 have given a hold rating, and 17 have given a buy rating for MRK.

Consensus Price Target

$151.32
6.07% Upside

According to the 27 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Merck & Co., Inc., the average price target is $151.32. The highest price target for MRK is $180.00, while the lowest price target for MRK is $92.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 6.07% from the current price of $142.66.

MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.

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MRK Analyst Ratings Over Time

Type	Current Forecast 10/8/25 to 10/8/26	1 Month Ago 9/8/25 to 9/8/26	3 Months Ago 7/10/25 to 7/10/26	1 Year Ago 10/8/24 to 10/8/25
Strong Buy	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)	1 Strong Buy rating(s)	0 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy	17 Buy rating(s)	14 Buy rating(s)	12 Buy rating(s)	5 Buy rating(s)
Hold	10 Hold rating(s)	11 Hold rating(s)	9 Hold rating(s)	13 Hold rating(s)
Sell	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Sell rating(s)	0 Sell rating(s)	1 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target	$151.32	$139.30	$129.90	$106.24
Forecasted Upside	6.07% Upside	-6.16% Downside	5.00% Upside	22.97% Upside
Consensus Rating	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Moderate Buy	Hold

MRK Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.

MRK Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock vs. The Competition

Type	Merck & Co., Inc.	Healthcare Companies	Broader Market
Consensus Rating Score	2.63	2.31	2.52
Consensus Rating	Moderate Buy	Hold	Moderate Buy
Predicted Upside	4.31% Upside	866.79% Upside	20.69% Upside
News Sentiment Rating	Positive News See Recent MRK News	Neutral News	Neutral News

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

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Action

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Date	Brokerage	Analyst	Action	Rating	Price Target	Report Date Upside/Downside
10/8/2026	Cantor Fitzgerald 5 of 5 stars	Carter Gould 4 of 5 stars	Boost Target	Neutral	$120.00 ➝ $145.00	+1.64%
10/7/2026	Morgan Stanley 3 of 5 stars	Terence Flynn 5 of 5 stars	Lower Target	Overweight	$179.00 ➝ $177.00	+23.42%
10/5/2026	JPMorgan Chase & Co. 3 of 5 stars	Chris Schott 4 of 5 stars	Boost Target	Overweight	$150.00 ➝ $165.00	+17.99%
9/29/2026	Scotiabank Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Louise Chen Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Sector Outperform	$155.00 ➝ $180.00	+22.81%
9/23/2026	TD Cowen Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Hold	$137.00 ➝ $155.00	+5.42%
9/11/2026	Berenberg Bank Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Hold	$127.00 ➝ $137.00	-6.82%
9/10/2026	HSBC Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Rajesh Kumar Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$150.00 ➝ $172.00	+17.26%
9/9/2026	Leerink Partners Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Daina Graybosch Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Outperform	$127.00 ➝ $161.00	+9.02%
9/8/2026	Guggenheim Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Vamil Divan Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$146.00 ➝ $170.00	+14.24%
9/4/2026	Wells Fargo & Company Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Mohit Bansal Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Overweight	$150.00 ➝ $170.00	+12.61%
Get the Latest News and Ratings for MRK and Related Stocks Enter your email address below to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Merck & Co., Inc. and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE daily newsletter.
8/25/2026	Weiss Ratings Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Hold (C-) ➝ Hold (C)
8/25/2026	Wolfe Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Alexandria Hammond Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Outperform	$155.00 ➝ $180.00	+16.64%
8/25/2026	Argus Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Jasper Hellweg Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$145.00 ➝ $170.00	+12.83%
8/21/2026	The Goldman Sachs Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Terence Flynn Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$140.00 ➝ $160.00	+5.33%
8/20/2026	Jefferies Financial Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Buy	$152.00 ➝ $175.00	+19.00%
8/20/2026	BMO Capital Markets Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Evan David Seigerman Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Outperform	$142.00 ➝ $170.00	+12.49%
8/20/2026	UBS Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Michael Yee Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$145.00 ➝ $175.00	+15.34%
8/20/2026	Royal Bank Of Canada Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Trung Huynh Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Downgrade	Outperform ➝ Sector Perform	$142.00 ➝ $150.00	-1.45%
8/12/2026	Daiwa Securities Group Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Neutral ➝ Outperform	$143.00	+9.71%
8/4/2026	Sanford C. Bernstein Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Market Perform	$100.00 ➝ $105.00	-28.60%
7/29/2026	Barclays Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Emily Field Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Overweight	$140.00 ➝ $150.00	+13.77%
7/6/2026	Rothschild & Co Redburn Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Boost Target	Buy	$140.00 ➝ $145.00	-1.40%
6/30/2026	Bank of America Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Tim Anderson Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Boost Target	Buy	$130.00 ➝ $141.00	+9.87%
6/24/2026	CICC Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Initiated Coverage	Outperform	$138.00	+14.65%
5/6/2026	Citigroup Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	Geoff Meacham Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Initiated Coverage	Neutral	$120.00 ➝ $125.00	+9.91%
3/17/2026	Zacks Research Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Upgrade	Strong Sell ➝ Hold
2/13/2026	Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating	James Shin Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the analyst's recommendation accuracy rating	Upgrade	Hold ➝ Buy	$115.00 ➝ $150.00	+25.78%
2/10/2025	TD Securities Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Downgrade	Buy ➝ Hold	$121.00 ➝ $100.00	+15.45%
1/8/2025	Truist Financial Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the firm's recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated Rating	Buy ➝ Hold	$130.00 ➝ $110.00	+8.88%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Thursday at 09:27 AM ET.

Should I Buy Merck & Co., Inc. Stock? MRK Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Merck & Co., Inc. pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Merck:

Merck's stock is currently trading at $142.66, which is below the consensus price target of $146.36, suggesting potential for near-term upside as analysts maintain a Moderate Buy rating.
Major financial institutions are increasing their confidence in the company, with JPMorgan Chase raising its price target to $165.00 and Morgan Stanley maintaining an overweight rating with a target of $177.00, indicating strong institutional support.
The company offers a dividend yield of 2.44%, providing a steady income stream for investors, with the most recent quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share paid on October 7, 2026.
Merck demonstrated strong operational performance in the most recent quarter, beating analyst estimates for both earnings per share and revenue, with revenue growing 5.1% year-over-year to $16.61 billion.
Recent commentary suggests that the stock's recent pullback may represent a buying opportunity, as Keytruda remains the primary growth driver and newer pipeline assets are expected to support growth beyond 2028.

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in Merck for these reasons:

A Dutch court ruled in favor of Halozyme Therapeutics, barring Merck from selling subcutaneous Keytruda in eight European markets, which threatens the rollout of a more convenient version of its largest drug and could delay related revenue opportunities.
Merck's valuation is high, with a P/E ratio of 114.12, which may limit upside potential if earnings growth does not accelerate to justify the premium price relative to its current earnings.
Insider selling has been significant recently, with executives including EVP Jennifer Zachary and EVP Chirfi Guindo selling substantial portions of their holdings in August 2026, which can signal a lack of confidence from company leadership.
The company's dividend payout ratio is currently 272.00%, indicating that it is paying out more in dividends than it is earning in net income, which could be unsustainable if earnings do not improve.
Short interest has increased month-over-month, with shares shorted rising to 34,430,712 as of September 15, 2026, suggesting that some investors are betting against the stock's future performance.

MRK Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 27 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Merck & Co., Inc. is $151.32, with a high forecast of $180.00 and a low forecast of $92.00.

27 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Merck & Co., Inc. in the last year. There are currently 10 hold ratings and 17 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" MRK shares.

According to analysts, Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock has a predicted upside of 6.07% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock had 3 upgrades and 3 downgrades by analysts.

Merck & Co., Inc. has been rated by research analysts at Argus, Barclays, Berenberg Bank, BMO Capital Markets, Cantor Fitzgerald, Daiwa Securities Group, Guggenheim, HSBC, Jefferies Financial Group, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Leerink Partners, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank Of Canada, Sanford C. Bernstein, Scotiabank, TD Cowen, The Goldman Sachs Group, UBS Group, Weiss Ratings, Wells Fargo & Company, and Wolfe Research in the past 90 days.

Analysts like Merck & Co., Inc. more than other "healthcare" companies. The consensus rating for Merck & Co., Inc. is Moderate Buy while the average consensus rating for "healthcare" companies is Hold. Learn more on how MRK compares to other companies.

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MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Merck & Co., Inc. analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 10/8/2026.

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Merck & Co., Inc. - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Consensus Price Target

MRK Analyst Ratings Over Time

MRK Analyst Recommendations By Month

MRK Price Targets by Month

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock vs. The Competition

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Should I Buy Merck & Co., Inc. Stock? MRK Pros and Cons Explained

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bull Case

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bear Case

MRK Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Today's Analyst Ratings

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Brokerages With Merck & Co., Inc. Recommendations

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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Merck & Co., Inc. - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Consensus Price Target

MRK Analyst Ratings Over Time

MRK Analyst Recommendations By Month

MRK Price Targets by Month

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock vs. The Competition

Recent Analyst Forecasts and Stock Ratings

Should I Buy Merck & Co., Inc. Stock? MRK Pros and Cons Explained

Merck & Co., Inc. Bull Case

Merck & Co., Inc. Bear Case

MRK Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Merck & Co., Inc.'s forecast for 2026?

Should I buy or sell Merck & Co., Inc. stock right now?

Does Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock price have much upside?

Has Merck & Co., Inc. been upgraded or downgraded by Wall Street analysts recently?

What analysts cover Merck & Co., Inc.?

Do Wall Street analysts like Merck & Co., Inc. more than its competitors?

Stock Forecasts and Research Tools

Today's Analyst Ratings

Top-Rated Stocks

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Brokerages With Merck & Co., Inc. Recommendations

MarketBeat All Access Features

Best-in-Class Portfolio Monitoring

Stock Ideas and Recommendations

Advanced Stock Screeners and Research Tools

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bull Case

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bear Case