Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) had its price target raised by research analysts at Leerink Partners from $127.00 to $161.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the stock. Leerink Partners’ price target would indicate a potential upside of 9.05% from the company’s previous close.
Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $116.00 to $179.00 in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Wall Street Zen upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 22nd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $142.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $120.00 price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Sixteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $150.33.
Get Our Latest Analysis on Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. The company had revenue of $16.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 4.77%.Merck & Co., Inc.’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.13 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 EPS for the current year.
Insiders Place Their Bets
In other news, EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 36,613 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,942,755. The trade was a 21.45% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard Deluca sold 11,699 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $131.63, for a total value of $1,539,939.37. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 110,167 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $14,501,282.21. This trade represents a 9.60% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
Institutional Trading of Merck & Co., Inc.
Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. California State Teachers Retirement System raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 12,537.4% during the second quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 484,720,247 shares of the company’s stock worth $62,286,552,000 after purchasing an additional 480,884,635 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $3,997,933,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 14.8% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 86,435,458 shares of the company’s stock worth $9,098,196,000 after buying an additional 11,156,354 shares in the last quarter. Cardano Risk Management B.V. purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,012,530,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 37.9% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,753,390 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,973,983,000 after acquiring an additional 5,152,069 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim raised its price target on Merck to $170 from $146 and maintained a “Buy” rating, implying approximately 15% upside from recent levels. The upgrade reinforces confidence in Merck’s earnings outlook and pipeline prospects. Benzinga analyst rating report
- Positive Sentiment: Merck’s stock has gained about 85% over the past year and is trading close to its 52-week high. Coverage points to continued Keytruda-driven growth, as well as newer products and pipeline programs that could help offset the expected impact of Keytruda’s patent expiration later this decade. Merck trading near 52-week high
- Neutral Sentiment: Merck will participate in Morgan Stanley’s 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference. The event could provide updates on Keytruda, GARDASIL, the pipeline and long-term strategy, but no new operating guidance was included in the announcement. Merck Morgan Stanley healthcare conference
- Neutral Sentiment: Merck outperformed its industry peers in the latest session despite broader losses, indicating relative investor support; however, the report did not identify a new company-specific catalyst. Merck outperforms competitors
- Negative Sentiment: Investors are shifting attention away from the earlier GARDASIL sales decline toward Merck’s longer-term growth story. Nevertheless, the product setback and the 2028 patent cliff remain important risks to future revenue and valuation, particularly with MRK trading at an elevated earnings multiple. Merck GARDASIL outlook
About Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets worldwide through its Human Health and Animal Health businesses.
Merck’s pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious disease, cardiology, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Its products include Keytruda, an immunotherapy used to treat various cancers; Gardasil, a vaccine that helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV); and Januvia, a treatment for type 2 diabetes.
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