Go Pro
→ Ready to give options a try? Your first trade (Ticker included) -INSIDE (From Base Camp Trading) (Ad)tc pixel Free MRK Stock Alerts

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Short Interest Ratio & Short Volume

Merck & Co., Inc. logo
$131.06 +0.58 (+0.44%)
Closing price 07/24/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$130.90 -0.16 (-0.12%)
As of 07/24/2026 07:28 PM Eastern
Extended trading is trading that happens on electronic markets outside of regular trading hours. This is a fair market value extended hours price provided by Massive. Learn more.
Compare

Merck & Co., Inc. Short Interest Overview

As of July 15, 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) had a short interest of 29.36 million shares sold short, representing 1.19% of the public float. This marks a -6.44% decrease in short interest since the prior report. The short interest ratio (days to cover) is 3.4, meaning it would take 3.4 days of the average trading volume of 9.20 million shares to cover all short positions.

Current Short Interest
29,359,028 shares
Previous Short Interest
31,381,267 shares
Change Vs. Previous Month
-6.44%
Dollar Volume Sold Short
$3.63 billion
Short Interest Ratio
3.4 Days to Cover
Last Record Date
July 15, 2026
Outstanding Shares
2,469,820,000 shares
Short Percent of Float
1.19%
Today's Trading Volume
6,153,688 shares
Average Trading Volume
9,198,918 shares
Today's Volume Vs. Average
67%
Short Selling Merck & Co., Inc.?
A Guide To High-Short-Interest Stocks

Sign up to receive the latest short interest report for Merck & Co., Inc. and its competitors with MarketBeat's FREE newsletter.

Get Report
SMS is currently available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. By entering your phone number and clicking the sign-up button, you agree to receive periodic text messages from MarketBeat at the phone number you submitted, including texts that may be sent using an automatic telephone dialing system. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Messages will consist of stock alerts, news stories, and partner advertisements/offers. Consent is not a condition of the purchase of any goods or services. Text HELP for help/customer support. Unsubscribe at any time by replying "STOP" to any text message that you receive from MarketBeat or by visiting our mailing preferences page. Read our full terms of service and privacy policy.
Skip Charts & View Short Interest History
Short Interest ChartDays to Cover ChartShort Percent of Float Chart

MRK Short Interest Over Time

MRK Days to Cover Over Time

MRK Percentage of Float Shorted Over Time

Merck & Co., Inc. Tesla Short Interest History & Recent Changes

Export
Report DateTotal Shares Sold ShortDollar Volume Sold ShortChange from Previous ReportPercentage of Float ShortedDays to CoverPrice on Report Date
7/15/202629,359,028 shares $3.63 billion -6.4%1.2%3.42 $123.56
6/30/202631,381,267 shares $4.03 billion +3.7%1.3%2.3 $128.41
6/15/202630,267,292 shares $3.48 billion -0.9%1.2%2.57 $115.03
5/29/202630,545,853 shares $3.62 billion +5.1%1.2%3.06 $118.49
5/15/202629,060,187 shares $3.24 billion +10.9%1.2%3.63 $111.36
4/30/202626,205,868 shares $2.87 billion -4.7%1.1%2.55 $109.33
4/15/202627,495,690 shares $3.25 billion -0.8%1.1%3.31 $118.07
3/31/202627,720,957 shares $3.33 billion -4.9%1.1%2.53 $120.26
3/13/202629,144,880 shares $3.37 billion -6.3%1.2%3.06 $115.61
2/27/202631,115,811 shares $3.84 billion +10.6%1.3%3 $123.45
2/13/202628,130,031 shares $3.41 billion -2.1%1.1%1.7 $121.39
1/30/202628,729,402 shares $3.17 billion -14.6%1.2%2.38 $110.24
1/15/202633,654,686 shares $3.73 billion +3.3%1.4%2.55 $110.83
12/31/202532,573,724 shares $3.43 billion -12.4%1.3%2.33 $105.20
12/15/202537,162,304 shares $3.73 billion +16.3%1.5%2.63 $100.34
11/28/202531,943,311 shares $3.34 billion +15.6%1.3%1.77 $104.63
11/14/202527,626,151 shares $2.57 billion +7.0%1.1%2.15 $93.00
10/31/202525,815,354 shares $2.22 billion -3.3%1.0%2.52 $86.15
10/15/202526,700,000 shares $2.25 billion +6.1%1.1%2.2 $84.11
9/30/202525,170,000 shares $2.11 billion -9.2%1.0%2 $83.96
9/15/202527,710,000 shares $2.25 billion +16.3%1.1%2.1 $81.07
8/31/202523,830,000 shares $2.00 billion -6.7%1.0%1.7 $84.13
8/15/202525,530,000 shares $2.15 billion -1.4%1.0%1.8 $84.35
7/31/202525,880,000 shares $2.02 billion -10.1%1.0%1.7 $78.17
7/15/202528,770,000 shares $2.35 billion -18.0%1.2%1.9 $81.54
6/30/202535,090,000 shares $2.78 billion -2.0%1.4%2.1 $79.19
6/15/202535,800,000 shares $2.92 billion +3.6%1.4%2.2 $81.68
5/31/202534,560,000 shares $2.66 billion -16.3%1.4%2.1 $76.86
5/15/202541,270,000 shares $3.08 billion +11.1%1.6%2.5 $74.68
4/30/202537,140,000 shares $3.17 billion -11.4%1.5%2.2 $85.23
4/15/202541,930,000 shares $3.28 billion +10.5%1.7%2.4 $78.28
3/31/202537,940,000 shares $3.40 billion +2.2%1.5%2.3 $89.74
3/15/202537,130,000 shares $3.52 billion -9.3%1.5%2.4 $94.72
2/28/202540,940,000 shares $3.78 billion +27.1%1.6%2.8 $92.23
2/15/202532,210,000 shares $2.67 billion +8.8%1.3%2.3 $83.01
1/31/202529,600,000 shares $2.92 billion -13.3%1.2%2.3 $98.80
1/15/202534,120,000 shares $3.42 billion +10.3%N/A3 $100.20
12/31/202430,930,000 shares $3.08 billion -3.4%N/A2.8 $99.48
12/15/202432,030,000 shares $3.27 billion -2.3%N/A2.8 $102.00
11/30/202432,790,000 shares $3.33 billion +24.6%N/A3.1 $101.64
Ready to give options a try? Your first trade (Ticker included) -INSIDE (Ad)

Tired of trying tactic after tactic when it comes to options trades... only to be met with market noise and stinging losses? Dave Aquino is giving away the exact 11-hour options strategy he uses in volatile markets. You get the plain English blueprint behind the strategy and the very same "rinse and repeat" ticker he's traded nearly 900 times with a 95.3% success rate. It's so simple to understand, you could trade it tomorrow.tc pixel

11/15/202426,320,000 shares $2.53 billion +0.3%N/A2.6 $96.30
10/31/202426,230,000 shares $2.68 billion +0.7%N/A2.8 $102.32
10/15/202426,040,000 shares $2.90 billion -4.5%N/A2.6 $111.54
9/30/202427,260,000 shares $3.10 billion +9.9%N/A2.9 $113.56
9/15/202424,810,000 shares $2.87 billion -4.3%N/A2.5 $115.86
8/31/202425,910,000 shares $3.07 billion +4.4%N/A2.7 $118.45
8/15/202424,810,000 shares $2.81 billion -7.2%N/A2.6 $113.31
7/31/202426,720,000 shares $3.02 billion +8.8%N/A2.9 $113.13
7/15/202424,570,000 shares $3.15 billion +5.2%N/A3 $128.12
6/30/202423,350,000 shares $2.89 billion +19.9%N/A2.8 $123.80
6/15/202419,470,000 shares $2.52 billion -4.6%N/A2.6 $129.48
5/31/202420,410,000 shares $2.56 billion +0.7%N/A2.5 $125.58
5/15/202420,270,000 shares $2.67 billion +8.1%N/A2.5 $131.74
4/30/202418,750,000 shares $2.42 billion -8.2%N/A2.3 $129.19
4/15/202420,430,000 shares $2.58 billion +4.3%N/A2.5 $126.19
3/31/202419,590,000 shares $2.58 billion -15.4%N/A2.3 $131.95
3/15/202423,160,000 shares $2.81 billion +39.5%N/A2.8 $121.53
2/29/202416,600,000 shares $2.11 billion -1.3%N/A2.1 $127.15
2/15/202416,820,000 shares $2.13 billion -1.2%N/A2 $126.54
1/31/202417,020,000 shares $2.06 billion -18.2%N/A2 $120.78
1/15/202420,810,000 shares $2.47 billion +16.5%N/A2.5 $118.63
12/31/202317,870,000 shares $1.95 billion +32.7%N/A2.2 $109.02
12/15/202313,470,000 shares $1.42 billion -19.3%N/A1.7 $105.64
11/30/202316,690,000 shares $1.71 billion -7.4%N/A2.3 $102.48
11/15/202318,020,000 shares $1.83 billion +9.8%N/A2.7 $101.35
10/31/202316,410,000 shares $1.68 billion +3.9%N/A2.5 $102.68
10/15/202315,790,000 shares $1.64 billion +6.5%N/A2.4 $104.01
9/30/202314,830,000 shares $1.53 billion +6.8%N/A2.2 $102.95
9/15/202313,880,000 shares $1.49 billion -5.2%N/A2 $107.47
8/31/202314,640,000 shares $1.60 billion +1.2%N/A2 $108.98
8/15/202314,460,000 shares $1.57 billion +2.3%N/A1.9 $108.66
7/31/202314,140,000 shares $1.51 billion -21.1%N/A1.9 $106.65
7/15/202317,920,000 shares $1.92 billion +6.3%N/A2.5 $107.34
6/30/202316,860,000 shares $1.94 billion +12.7%N/A2.4 $115.36
6/15/202314,960,000 shares $1.64 billion -4.4%N/A2.1 $109.40
5/31/202315,650,000 shares $1.73 billion -20.2%N/A2.1 $110.41
5/15/202319,620,000 shares $2.28 billion +2.7%N/A2.6 $116.37
4/30/202319,100,000 shares $2.21 billion -10.5%N/A2.5 $115.47
4/15/202321,340,000 shares $2.46 billion -3.3%N/A2.6 $115.31
3/31/202322,070,000 shares $2.35 billion +13.0%N/A2.6 $106.39
3/15/202319,540,000 shares $2.10 billion -4.9%N/A2.3 $107.63
2/28/202320,550,000 shares $2.18 billion +5.6%N/A2.4 $106.24
2/15/202319,470,000 shares $2.10 billion +13.5%N/A2.2 $107.68
1/31/202317,150,000 shares $1.84 billion +5.7%N/A1.9 $107.41
1/15/202316,220,000 shares $1.82 billion -5.8%N/A1.7 $112.25
12/30/202217,210,000 shares $1.91 billion -16.1%N/A1.8 $110.95
12/15/202220,510,000 shares $2.25 billion +4.5%N/A2.2 $109.63
11/30/202219,630,000 shares $2.16 billion +0.8%N/A2.1 $110.12
11/15/202219,470,000 shares $1.94 billion -4.4%N/A2.2 $99.60
10/31/202220,360,000 shares $2.06 billion +5.8%N/A2.4 $101.20
The REAL Reason Trump is Invading Iran (Ad)

For a moment… Forget about Trump’s ties to Israel. Forget about reports of Iran’s nuclear program. Because my research has led me to believe we’re risking World War 3 with Iran for a completely different reason.tc pixel

Click here to find out what it is.
10/15/202219,240,000 shares $1.77 billion -5.7%N/A2.3 $92.18
9/30/202220,400,000 shares $1.76 billion +4.9%N/A2.5 $86.12
9/15/202219,450,000 shares $1.69 billion +0.8%N/A2.2 $86.75
8/31/202219,290,000 shares $1.65 billion -2.4%N/A2 $85.36
8/15/202219,760,000 shares $1.79 billion +17.7%N/A1.9 $90.60
7/31/202216,790,000 shares $1.50 billion -17.4%N/A1.5 $89.34
7/15/202220,330,000 shares $1.93 billion -0.7%N/A1.8 $94.96
6/30/202220,470,000 shares $1.87 billion +2.6%N/A1.7 $91.17
6/15/202219,950,000 shares $1.69 billion -14.6%N/A1.7 $84.63
5/31/202223,350,000 shares $2.15 billion +8.3%N/A2 $92.03
5/15/202221,570,000 shares $1.95 billion +27.0%N/A1.9 $90.41
4/30/202216,980,000 shares $1.51 billion -11.9%0.7%1.5 $88.69
4/15/202219,280,000 shares $1.68 billion +14.4%0.8%1.6 $86.91
3/31/202216,860,000 shares $1.38 billion +1.6%0.7%1.4 $82.05
3/15/202216,590,000 shares $1.30 billion -14.8%0.7%1.4 $78.64
2/28/202219,460,000 shares $1.49 billion +10.3%0.8%1.5 $76.58
2/15/202217,650,000 shares $1.37 billion -12.2%0.7%1.3 $77.81
1/31/202220,090,000 shares $1.64 billion -14.5%0.8%1.4 $81.48
1/15/202223,490,000 shares $1.91 billion +1.4%0.9%1.7 $81.38
12/31/202123,160,000 shares $1.77 billion +8.8%0.9%1.7 $76.64
12/15/202121,290,000 shares $1.60 billion +13.7%0.8%1.3 $75.29
11/30/202118,730,000 shares $1.40 billion -15.6%0.7%1.1 $74.91
11/15/202122,180,000 shares $1.86 billion +6.4%0.9%1.5 $83.69
10/29/202120,840,000 shares $1.83 billion -4.8%N/A1.4 $88.05
10/15/202121,880,000 shares $1.71 billion -3.0%N/A1.6 $78.33
9/30/202122,560,000 shares $1.69 billion -19.9%N/A1.7 $75.11
9/15/202128,180,000 shares $2.05 billion +2.8%N/A2.7 $72.81
8/31/202127,420,000 shares $2.09 billion +2.7%N/A2.7 $76.29
8/13/202126,690,000 shares $2.05 billion +15.2%N/A2.5 $76.72
7/30/202123,170,000 shares $1.78 billion +4.1%N/A2.1 $76.87

MRK Short Interest - Frequently Asked Questions

Short interest is the volume of Merck & Co., Inc. shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. As of July 15th, investors have sold 29,359,028 shares of MRK short. 1.19% of Merck & Co., Inc.'s shares are currently sold short. Learn More on Merck & Co., Inc.'s current short interest.

The short interest ratio, also known as the "days to cover ratio", is calculated by dividing the number of shares of a stock sold short divided by its average trading volume. A short interest ratio ranging between 1 and 4 generally indicates strong positive sentiment about a stock and a lack of short sellers. A short interest ratio of 10 or greater indicates strong pessimism about a stock. MRK shares currently have a short interest ratio of 3.4. Learn More on Merck & Co., Inc.'s short interest ratio.

Companies that have a short interest as a percentage of float below 10% indicates positive investor sentiment and few short sellers. Stocks with a short interest percentage above 10% is considered high, suggesting some investors are pessimistic about the stock. Companies with a short interest percentage of 20% or more indicates widespread negative sentiment. 1.19% of Merck & Co., Inc.'s floating shares are currently sold short.

Merck & Co., Inc. saw a drop in short interest during the month of July. As of July 15th, there was short interest totaling 29,359,028 shares, a drop of 6.4% from the previous total of 31,381,267 shares. Changes in short volume can be used to identify positive and negative investor sentiment. Investors that short sell a stock are betting that its price will decline in the future. An increase in short sale volume suggests bearish (negative) sentiment among investors. A decrease on short sale volume suggests bullish (positive) sentiment.

1.19% of Merck & Co., Inc.'s shares are currently sold short. Here is how the short interest of companies compare to Merck & Co., Inc.: Amgen Inc. (2.40%), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (2.04%), Moderna, Inc. (14.81%), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (1.97%), AbbVie Inc. (1.28%), Astrazeneca Plc (0.16%), Bristol Myers Squibb Company (2.20%), Johnson & Johnson (1.14%), Eli Lilly and Company (1.09%), Pfizer Inc. (2.89%),

As of the most recent reporting period, the following stocks had the largest short interest positions: SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ($73.09 billion), Invesco QQQ ($48.11 billion), iShares Russell 2000 ETF ($23.61 billion), Sandisk Corporation ($12.69 billion), Nebius Group N.V. ($12.18 billion), Western Digital Corporation ($11.95 billion), SPDR S&P Biotech ETF ($11.73 billion), Quhuo Limited Sponsored ADR ($9.74 billion), VanEck Semiconductor ETF ($9.57 billion), and Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund ($8.43 billion). View all of the most shorted stocks.

Short selling MRK is an investing strategy that aims to generate trading profit from Merck & Co., Inc. as its price is falling. MRK shares are trading up $0.58 today. To short a stock, an investor borrows shares, sells them and buys the shares back on the public market later to return it to the lender. Short sellers are betting that a stock will decline in price. If the stock does drop after selling, the short seller buys it back at a lower price and returns it to the lender. The difference between the sell price and the buy price is the trader's profit.

A short squeeze for Merck & Co., Inc. occurs when it has a large amount of short interest and its stock increases in price. This forces short sellers to cover their short interest positions by buying actual shares of MRK, which in turn drives the price of the stock up even further.

Short interest is typically published by a stock exchange once per month. However, NASDAQ publishes a report for U.S. stocks, including MRK, twice per month. The most recent reporting period available is July, 15 2026.

Understanding short interest metrics can help you assess how traders are positioning around a stock like MRK:

  • Shares Sold Short: The total number of shares that have been sold by short sellers but have not yet been covered or closed out. A high number may indicate bearish sentiment.
  • Short Float: The percentage of a company’s publicly available shares (or "float") that are sold short. A higher short float suggests a greater portion of the stock is being bet against.
  • Days to Cover (Short Interest Ratio): This estimates how many days it would take short sellers to cover their positions, based on average daily trading volume. Higher values can signal potential for a short squeeze if buying pressure increases.

These metrics are often used by traders to gauge sentiment, volatility risk, and the potential for price movements based on short covering activity.


Related Companies
Short Interest Tools

This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 7/24/2026 by MarketBeat.com Staff.
From Our Partners
ALERT: Drop these 5 stocks before the market opens tomorrow!
The Wall Street Journal is already raising the alarm about a potential market crash, and Weiss Ratings researc...
Weiss Ratings | Sponsoredtc pixel
Louis Navellier: My #1 AI stock for 2026 (name & ticker inside)
Louis Navellier's Stock Grader system helped him flag Nvidia before its 82,000% run and has identified the top...
InvestorPlace | Sponsoredtc pixel
Trump Takes Emergency Action - Plus Elon Musk's New Venture
Elon Musk has quietly launched a new venture - one that has nothing to do with rockets, EVs, or Neuralink. Tru...
Altimetry | Sponsoredtc pixel
Your $29.97 book is free today
Why Some Traders Skip Stocks Entirely You don't need a big account to trade options. In fact, options ca...
Profits Run | Sponsoredtc pixel
Ready to give options a try? Your first trade (Ticker included) -INSIDE
Tired of trying tactic after tactic when it comes to options trades... only to be met with market noise and st...
Base Camp Trading | Sponsoredtc pixel
SPCX Warning - and Worst News for Stocks in 50 Years
Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are now predicting what could be the worst news for the U.S. stock market in ...
TradeSmith | Sponsoredtc pixel
CODE RED: AI Meltdown Imminent?
After correctly predicting the 2008 and 2020 stock market meltdowns, I believe this AI company is about to tri...
Paradigm Press | Sponsoredtc pixel
Elon's new "super startup"
Adam O'Dell - the analyst who recommended Palantir before it became the top S&P 500 performer - has identified...
Banyan Hill Publishing | Sponsoredtc pixel