Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) saw some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Stock investors purchased 42,821 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of approximately 42% compared to the typical daily volume of 30,188 call options.
Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance
MRK stock traded up $1.85 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $128.11. 3,053,698 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,928,491. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $76.66 and a 52 week high of $131.74. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $120.65 and a 200 day moving average price of $117.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $316.42 billion, a PE ratio of 36.04, a P/E/G ratio of 4.95 and a beta of 0.19.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The firm had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.22 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.74 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement
Analysts Set New Price Targets
Several analysts recently weighed in on the company. CICC Research assumed coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Wednesday, June 24th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $138.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup began coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Wednesday, May 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 target price on the stock. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $120.00 price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Monday, July 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $133.94.
View Our Latest Research Report on Merck & Co., Inc.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,808,000 after buying an additional 8,710 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company’s stock valued at $910,000 after purchasing an additional 3,941 shares during the period. Diversify Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% in the 2nd quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,590,000 after purchasing an additional 15,636 shares during the period. Diversify Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% in the 2nd quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,054,000 after purchasing an additional 6,897 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% in the 2nd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,918,000 after purchasing an additional 359,356 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Merck & Co., Inc. Company 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 Stories
- Five stocks we like better than Merck & Co., Inc.
- A Boring Dividend Growth Strategy Becomes a Solid Defensive Play
- Boxabl Disrupts Housing With A Tiny Float IPO
- Robotaxi Mode Engaged: Tesla Starts Monetizing Its Florida Fleet
- Velo3D Forges a New Reality After Its Sharp Stock Sell-Off
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.
