NFSG Corp boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report) by 31.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 17,154 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,100 shares during the period. NFSG Corp’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $2,493,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings 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 worth $29,169,479,000 after buying an additional 1,073,507 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 120,413,256 shares of the company’s stock valued at $15,573,754,000 after buying an additional 1,087,583 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.3% during the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 86,249,283 shares of the company’s stock valued at $11,083,033,000 after buying an additional 1,934,312 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.5% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 30,774,221 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,701,831,000 after buying an additional 2,919,780 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Invesco Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.5% during the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 20,546,185 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,162,691,000 after buying an additional 701,249 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.
Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Merck plans to present first-time pivotal Phase 3 data at ESMO 2026 for oncology programs including melanoma and endometrial cancer. The company will also hold an oncology investor event, potentially giving investors greater visibility into growth opportunities beyond Keytruda. What Could Merck Reveal At ESMO 2026 About Its Oncology Pipeline?
- Positive Sentiment: CEO Rob Davis said Merck and Moderna expect manufacturing of their personalized cancer vaccine to become faster over time. Improving production efficiency could support broader commercialization of the vaccine, although manufacturing remains complex. Merck CEO Tells CNBC He Expects Breakthrough Cancer Vaccine Will Become Faster to Make
- Neutral Sentiment: Analysts expect Keytruda sales growth, newer product launches and expanded indications to support third-quarter revenue. However, biosimilar competition is expected to become a more significant risk in 2028–2029, making pipeline execution increasingly important. Will Keytruda Continue to Aid Merck’s Top Line in Q3 Earnings?
- Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s dividend yield is about 2.3%, but comparisons with Amgen highlight differing levels of dividend coverage and cash-flow flexibility. The analysis may influence income-focused investors but does not introduce a new company-specific catalyst. AMGN vs. MRK: Which Pharma Giant’s Dividend Actually Has Room to Grow
- Negative Sentiment: Merck trades at a premium valuation of roughly 5.5 times sales, increasing the market’s expectations for sustained growth. Investors are also monitoring the changing emphasis in management’s strategy and continuing challenges for the Gardasil vaccine business in China. How Has Merck’s Story Changed?
Insider Buying and Selling
In related news, EVP David Williams sold 52,847 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.77, for a total value of $6,805,108.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 31,716 shares in the company, valued at $4,084,069.32. The trade was a 62.49% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $133.46, for a total value of $10,718,839.90. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 45,509 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,073,631.14. The trade was a 63.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 228,238 shares of company stock valued at $29,977,783 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In
A number of analysts have commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 4th. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $179.00 to $177.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $120.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, October 8th. HSBC increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $172.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, Scotiabank raised their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $151.92.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Down 1.2%
Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $145.66 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $82.01 and a 12 month high of $156.92. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $145.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $129.12. The firm has a market cap of $359.37 billion, a PE ratio of 116.53, a P/E/G ratio of 6.81 and a beta of 0.21.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last posted 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. 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 during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.37 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.13 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.66 earnings per share for the current year.
Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th were given a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 272.00%.
Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile
Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets around the world, with research and commercial operations spanning multiple geographic regions.
Its pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious-disease, cardiovascular, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Key products include Keytruda, an oncology treatment; Gardasil, a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; Januvia and Janumet for type 2 diabetes; Bridion for anesthesia-related use; and Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
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