Grandfield & Dodd LLC decreased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report) by 2.4% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 171,554 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,221 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for approximately 1.2% of Grandfield & Dodd LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position. Grandfield & Dodd LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $22,045,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.5% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 226,999,837 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,169,479,000 after buying an additional 1,073,507 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 120,040,168 shares of the company’s stock worth $12,737,504,000 after acquiring an additional 1,859,990 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 14.8% during the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 86,435,458 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,098,196,000 after acquiring an additional 11,156,354 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 60,047,984 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,307,572,000 after acquiring an additional 249,110 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 44,946,021 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,731,018,000 after acquiring an additional 359,486 shares during the period. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
MRK has been the subject of several research reports. Scotiabank boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $136.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. CICC Research assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $138.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $142.00 to $150.00 in a report on Thursday, August 20th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $116.00 to $179.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $147.60.
Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance
Shares of NYSE MRK opened at $153.21 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 1.32 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The company has a market cap of $378.00 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 122.57, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 0.19. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $130.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $122.04. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $77.58 and a 1-year high of $156.92.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 4.77%.The business had revenue of $16.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.13 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue 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 forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be paid a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.2%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is currently 272.00%.
Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Positive melanoma results strengthen the pipeline. Merck and Moderna reported positive Phase 3 topline results for intismeran autogene, an individualized neoantigen therapy used with KEYTRUDA in resected melanoma. The program could create a new growth opportunity and help extend KEYTRUDA’s commercial runway. Merck Surges on a Melanoma Win
- Positive Sentiment: A busy fall catalyst calendar is attracting investors. Upcoming FDA decisions, additional pipeline updates and a pivotal cancer-vaccine readout could materially influence expectations for Merck’s post-KEYTRUDA growth profile. What Would It Take to Get MRK Stock to $200?
- Positive Sentiment: Pipeline progress, new product launches and potential M&A are improving the long-term growth outlook and easing concerns about eventual KEYTRUDA revenue pressure. Merck Stock Hits New 52-Week High
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts have become more bullish. Wolfe Research raised its price target from $155 to $180 with an outperform rating, while Argus increased its target from $145 to $170 and upgraded the stock to buy. These revisions provide additional support for the recent advance.
- Neutral Sentiment: The cancer-vaccine opportunity remains uncertain. Reuters noted that evidence for broad use of the personalized therapy is still limited, with manufacturing, patient-selection and clinical-adoption challenges potentially affecting its commercial impact. How the Merck-Moderna Cancer Vaccine Works
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks are increasing. After gaining roughly 19% over the past month and trading near its 52-week high, MRK is approaching analyst targets, leaving less room for disappointment. Investors will likely focus on whether upcoming approvals and trial results can justify further upside.
Insider Buying and Selling
In other news, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 20,784 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.43, for a total value of $2,710,857.12. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 134,703 shares in the company, valued at approximately $17,569,312.29. This trade represents a 13.37% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.46, for a total transaction of $10,718,839.90. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,509 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,073,631.14. This trade represents a 63.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 228,238 shares of company stock valued at $29,977,783 over the last ninety days. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
About Merck & Co., Inc.
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.
Featured Articles
- Five stocks we like better than Merck & Co., Inc.
- Williams-Sonoma’s Quarter Gave Bulls More Than Just a Beat-and-Raise
- Alcoa’s Gallium Project Opens a New Door Beyond Aluminum
- Oura’s $16 Billion IPO Could Put a New Price on Wearable Tech
- Can Tesla’s Flying Roadster Distract From Its Real Risks?
Want to see what other hedge funds are holding MRK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report).
Receive News & Ratings for Merck & Co. Inc. Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Merck & Co. Inc. and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
