8,294 Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by State of Alaska Department of Revenue

State of Alaska Department of Revenue lowered its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 2.8% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 291,587 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,294 shares during the quarter. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $42,370,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 2nd quarter worth about $11,470,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,578,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $331,931,000 after purchasing an additional 51,393 shares in the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 7.0% in the 2nd quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 6,184,340 shares of the company’s stock valued at $794,577,000 after purchasing an additional 402,011 shares in the last quarter. Talon Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter valued at about $995,000. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 12.3% in the 2nd quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 2,073,176 shares of the company’s stock worth $266,403,000 after purchasing an additional 227,589 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

MRK opened at $145.66 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $145.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $129.12. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $82.01 and a 52-week high of $156.92. The company has a market cap of $359.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 116.53, a PEG ratio of 6.81 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. The business had revenue of $16.61 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $2.13 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.66 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a $0.85 dividend. 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 payout ratio is presently 272.00%.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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?

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

MRK has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Bank of America increased their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday. Rothschild & Co Redburn boosted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Wolfe Research boosted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $143.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 12th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $151.92.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.46, for a total value of $10,718,839.90. Following 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 position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total value of $1,350,000.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 36,613 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,942,755. This trade represents a 21.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783 in the last quarter. 0.17% of the stock is owned by insiders.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

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.