Bokf Na Cuts Stock Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Bokf Na trimmed its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 18.2% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 127,249 shares of the company’s stock after selling 28,321 shares during the period. Bokf Na’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $13,394,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in MRK. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 302.3% during the 3rd quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 354 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares in the last quarter. United Financial Planning Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Wealth Watch Advisors INC purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Dunhill Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 83.0% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 419 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Silicon Valley Capital Partners increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 160.5% during the 3rd quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners now owns 422 shares of the company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total transaction of $14,485,422.95. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,211,341.40. This represents a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Michael Williams sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.91, for a total transaction of $609,550.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 30,838 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,759,460.58. The trade was a 13.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 209,258 shares of company stock valued at $25,101,593. 0.17% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 price target for the company. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, March 20th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $128.18.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Merck completed the acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, adding clinical-stage oncology assets to its pipeline—a near-term catalyst for growth and synergy expectations. Merck Completes Acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentators point to continued KEYTRUDA-driven revenue and a strong pipeline; Merck delivered its fourth straight beat, supporting the view the stock may be undervalued on a longer-term basis. Merck Stock Looks Undervalued as KEYTRUDA Growth and Pipeline Offset Near-Term Headwinds
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile media support: Jim Cramer highlighted Merck’s solid quarter and said the stock is “starting to come back,” which can boost retail demand and sentiment. Jim Cramer on Merck & Co.: “The Stock’s Starting to Come Back”
• Neutral Sentiment: Institutional commentary: recent investor letters and analyst write-ups (e.g., Baron Capital coverage) review Merck as a core healthcare holding—useful background but not an immediate catalyst. What Makes Merck & Co. (MRK) an Investment Bet?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector news: Pfizer beat Q1 estimates but faces a looming patent cliff; competitive results and sector rotation can influence pharma multiples and investor attention, creating mixed pressure across large peers including Merck. Pfizer Beats Sales Estimates As $17 Billion Patent Cliff Looms
• Negative Sentiment: Technical/short-term risk: chart analysts warn a double-top breakdown and moving-average pressures that could produce a deeper correction, which may cap near-term upside despite fundamental positives. Merck (MRK) Price Forecast: Double Top Signals Deeper Correction Risk

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $113.21 on Wednesday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $73.31 and a 52-week high of $125.14. The firm has a market capitalization of $279.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.89, a PEG ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.18. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $117.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $107.91. The company has a quick ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 1.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 26.84%. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.22 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.15 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.