Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by RWA Wealth Partners LLC

RWA Wealth Partners LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 28.4% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 111,751 shares of the company’s stock after selling 44,217 shares during the quarter. RWA Wealth Partners LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $9,379,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of MRK. Jag Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $226,000. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Cary Street Partners Financial LLC now owns 201,271 shares of the company’s stock worth $16,893,000 after acquiring an additional 2,649 shares in the last quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.4% during the 3rd quarter. JFS Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 19,818 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,663,000 after acquiring an additional 1,872 shares in the last quarter. Abbot Financial Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 8.2% during the 3rd quarter. Abbot Financial Management Inc. now owns 36,988 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,104,000 after acquiring an additional 2,811 shares during the period. Finally, Waddell & Associates LLC grew its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 32.5% in the 3rd quarter. Waddell & Associates LLC now owns 16,337 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,371,000 after acquiring an additional 4,011 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.2%

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $124.11 on Wednesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $111.65 and its two-hundred day moving average is $96.63. The stock has a market cap of $308.03 billion, a PE ratio of 17.05, a P/E/G ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 0.28. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $73.31 and a 1-year high of $124.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.44.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.01 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $16.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.19 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 45.22% and a net margin of 28.08%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.72 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000-5.150 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.7%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.70%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the topic of several research reports. Bank of America increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Monday, December 29th. Zacks Research lowered Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Wolfe Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $124.80.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Positive Phase 3 SMART trial results for ENFLONSIA (clesrovimab) in infants/children under 2 — expands the potential market for Merck’s RSV product and strengthens near-term growth prospects. Merck (MRK) Announces Positive Phase 3 SMART Trial Results for ENFLONSIA (Clesrovimab)
• Positive Sentiment: New Keytruda approvals/formulations (including subcutaneous option and additional indications) broaden dosing options and indications, supporting replacement revenue as competition increases. Merck RSV And KEYTRUDA Updates Refocus Attention On Valuation And Growth
• Positive Sentiment: Merck hit an annual high inside the Russell 1000 — technical/market-strength signal that complements fundamental newsflow. Merck (NYSE:MRK) Hits Annual High in Russell 1000
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck will present at the TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference — standard investor outreach that may provide management clarity but is not an immediate earnings driver. Merck to Participate in the TD Cowen 46th Annual Health Care Conference
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage and peer-comparison pieces show Merck is a relative outperformer but Wall Street remains cautiously optimistic — supports valuation but suggests limited near-term multiple expansion without more upside news. How Is Merck & Co.’s Stock Performance Compared to Other Healthcare Stocks?
• Negative Sentiment: Keytruda patent expiry (approaching 2028) is pushing Merck to split its human-health business and create a standalone cancer unit — a defensive move that signals meaningful future revenue pressure from biosimilars/generic competition. Market reaction has been muted, but the patent cliff remains the primary long-term risk to MRK’s top-line. Merck to create separate cancer business to offset Keytruda patent loss, WSJ reports

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total transaction of $14,485,422.95. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,211,341.40. The trade was a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CFO Caroline Litchfield sold 41,997 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.61, for a total value of $5,023,261.17. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 90,192 shares in the company, valued at $10,787,865.12. This represents a 31.77% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 320,176 shares of company stock worth $38,281,735. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.