UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC cut its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report) by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 19,547,171 shares of the company’s stock after selling 867,648 shares during the period. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC owned approximately 0.79% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $2,511,811,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Prosperity Bancshares Inc bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. High Note Wealth LLC grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% in the fourth 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. acquired a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at $31,000. 76.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
MRK has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 19th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $142.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. Bank of America raised their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Citigroup began coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 price target for the company. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $147.60.
Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.
In other news, EVP David R. Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total value of $2,407,836.32. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 18,212 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,344,248.64. The trade was a 50.67% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 45,509 shares in the company, valued at $6,073,631.14. This represents a 63.83% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.
Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 0.8%
MRK opened at $148.30 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.32. The company has a market capitalization of $365.88 billion, a PE ratio of 118.64, a P/E/G ratio of 6.22 and a beta of 0.19. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $131.78 and its 200-day moving average is $122.41. Merck & Co., Inc. has a one year low of $77.58 and a one year high of $156.92.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. The business had revenue of $16.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 4.77%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.13 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend
The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 272.00%.
Merck & Co., Inc. Profile
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.
- From SaaS-pocalypse to Perfect Storm: Workday’s AI Growth Story Strengthens
- These 3 GARP Stocks Show Why Growth and Value Do Not Have to Clash
- Venture Into High-Volatility Corners of the Market With These 3 ETFs
- 3 Retail Stocks to Watch After a Big Consumer Earnings Week
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.
