Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report) in a research note published on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm issued a neutral rating and a $125.00 price objective on the stock.
A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the company. UBS Group upped their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, February 13th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, May 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $128.18.
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Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 0.3%
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. The business had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 27.55%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.22 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.
In related news, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.41, for a total value of $1,184,100.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 70,615 shares in the company, valued at $8,361,522.15. This trade represents a 12.40% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.87, for a total transaction of $1,828,050.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 21,197 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,583,278.39. This represents a 41.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders sold 189,258 shares of company stock worth $22,663,993. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the 4th 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 last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $910,000 after acquiring an additional 3,941 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC increased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% in the second quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,590,000 after acquiring an additional 15,636 shares during the period. Diversify Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% during the second quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,054,000 after acquiring an additional 6,897 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% during the second quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,918,000 after acquiring an additional 359,356 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.
Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Merck & Co., Inc. this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst lifts Merck price target after Q1 beat — a recent note raised the target following Merck’s better-than-expected Q1 results, reinforcing upside potential and supporting investor sentiment. Analyst Raises Merck (MRK) Price Target by $1 After Beating Q1 Estimates
- Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital reiterates Buy — institutional support from BMO keeps conviction in Merck’s growth and pipeline prospects, which can bolster demand for the stock. BMO Capital Remains a Buy on Merck & Company (MRK)
- Positive Sentiment: Merck completes acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals — closing Terns adds oncology assets and near-term R&D value that could lift future revenue if assets progress. Merck Completes Acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- Positive Sentiment: Regulatory boost for Terns’ candidate — MSD/ Merck’s TERN-701 received FDA breakthrough therapy designation for Ph+ CML (non-T315I), enhancing the strategic value of the acquired pipeline. MSD concludes Terns acquisition to expand CML pipeline
- Neutral Sentiment: New coverage from Citigroup is Neutral with a $125 target — adds a fresh perspective but the rating is not bullish, leaving room for mixed investor reactions. Citigroup coverage note (summary)
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst pieces highlight valuation debate after a pullback — some outlets argue Merck remains attractive on Keytruda growth and pipeline, while others point to conflicting valuation signals that could limit near-term gains. Is Merck (MRK) Still Attractive After Recent Pullback And Conflicting Valuation Signals
- Negative Sentiment: Shares slipped after the earnings report despite the beat — the market reaction suggests investors are cautious about near-term headwinds or valuation, which can pressure the stock in the short term. Merck Stock Looks Undervalued as KEYTRUDA Growth and Pipeline Offset Near-Term Headwinds
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.
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