Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Upgraded at Daiwa Securities Group

Posted by Geri Gentry on Aug 15th, 2026

Daiwa Securities Group upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report) from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report issued on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. Daiwa Securities Group currently has $143.00 price target on the stock.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on MRK. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 target price on the stock. Bank of America raised their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Barclays upped their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $142.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $135.50.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.2%

Shares of MRK opened at $135.78 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $334.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 108.62, a PEG ratio of 5.85 and a beta of 0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $77.58 and a 12 month high of $135.97. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $125.54 and its two-hundred day moving average is $119.94. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. The firm had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.13 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is 272.00%.

Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total transaction of $1,350,000.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 36,613 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,942,755. This represents a 21.45% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 11,699 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.63, for a total transaction of $1,539,939.37. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 110,167 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,501,282.21. This trade represents a 9.60% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of MRK. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Prosperity Bancshares Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. High Note Wealth LLC increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the 4th quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade and higher valuations: Daiwa Securities upgraded MRK from “neutral” to “outperform” and set a $143 price target. Other analysts have raised fair-value estimates into the $140–$155 range, citing pipeline progress, business-development activity and late-stage therapies. Daiwa Securities upgrade
Positive Sentiment: Business momentum remains supportive: MRK recently touched a record high, while Keytruda demand, oncology products, new launches and Animal Health helped drive quarterly revenue of $16.61 billion, above the $16.37 billion consensus estimate. The company also exceeded earnings expectations and reported 5.1% year-over-year revenue growth. Merck fair value and pipeline progress
Positive Sentiment: Income and diversification appeal: Merck declared its regular $0.85 quarterly dividend, or $3.40 annualized, while potential expansion of ENFLONSIA for RSV prevention could broaden growth beyond oncology.
Neutral Sentiment: Insider selling warrants monitoring: EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares for $1.35 million, following substantial sales by executives Jennifer Zachary and Richard Deluca. Each executive retained a meaningful stake, so the transactions may reflect personal financial decisions rather than a deteriorating outlook. Merck insider selling report
Negative Sentiment: Keytruda concentration is a future risk: Patent expiration and increasing competition could pressure Merck’s largest growth driver. Investors will need evidence that the pipeline and newer products can offset eventual Keytruda sales declines. Keytruda growth outlook

About Merck & Co., Inc.

(Get Free Report)

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.