Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKKGY) Sees Strong Trading Volume After Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKKGY) saw unusually-high trading volume on Friday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. Approximately 608,868 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 330% from the previous session’s volume of 141,732 shares.The stock last traded at $27.07 and had previously closed at $28.19.

The company reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by $0.27. The company had revenue of $6.17 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.08 billion. Merck KGaA had a net margin of 13.49% and a return on equity of 9.78%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded Merck KGaA to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, August 8th. Barclays lowered Merck KGaA from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 19th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Merck KGaA Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $26.30 and its 200-day moving average price is $26.24. The stock has a market cap of $17.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.44, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.96.

About Merck KGaA

Merck KGaA operates as a science and technology company in Germany. It operates through Life Science, Healthcare, and Electronics segments. The company’s Life Science segment offers tools, chemicals, and equipment for academic labs, biotech, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as industrial sector.