Merit Medical Systems (NASDAQ:MMSI) Hits New 12-Month Low After Analyst Downgrade

Shares of Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI) hit a new 52-week low on Thursday after Wells Fargo & Company downgraded the stock from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating. Wells Fargo & Company now has a $78.00 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of $95.00. Merit Medical Systems traded as low as $77.36 and last traded at $77.7480, with a volume of 295132 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $79.23.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on MMSI. Barrington Research increased their target price on Merit Medical Systems from $106.00 to $109.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Needham & Company LLC cut their target price on Merit Medical Systems from $108.00 to $101.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird set a $108.00 target price on Merit Medical Systems in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Zacks Research downgraded Merit Medical Systems from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Merit Medical Systems in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Merit Medical Systems currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $103.33.

More Merit Medical Systems News

Here are the key news stories impacting Merit Medical Systems this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations — EPS of $1.04 vs. $0.96 consensus and revenue of ~$394M; margins expanded with double‑digit revenue growth led by cardiovascular, U.S. and EMEA strength. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Management raised FY‑2026 EPS guidance to $4.01–$4.15 (above Street consensus ~$3.73), signaling confidence in margin expansion and profitability. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Company projects 6%–8% revenue growth for 2026 while divesting the DualCap business to focus on core global platforms — a strategic move that supports longer‑term growth targets. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst reactions mixed — Needham kept a Buy rating and cited the strong Q4/outlook but trimmed its price target to $101, reflecting more conservative near‑term valuation assumptions. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Barrington Research raised its price target (to $109) and maintained an Outperform rating, signaling some investors/analysts still see sizable upside from current levels. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Wells Fargo downgraded MMSI from Overweight to Equal Weight and cut its price target to $78 — a nearer‑term bearish signal that likely pressured the stock following the earnings run. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Shares are trading below their recent 50‑ and 200‑day moving averages and near the 52‑week low range, which can amplify downside when headlines (like downgrades) hit. Negative Sentiment:

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in MMSI. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Merit Medical Systems in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Maseco LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems during the 3rd quarter valued at $37,000. Torren Management LLC bought a new stake in Merit Medical Systems in the fourth quarter worth $38,000. Finally, Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems by 252.6% in the fourth quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 469 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 336 shares during the last quarter. 99.66% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merit Medical Systems Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $4.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.61. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $83.92 and its 200-day moving average is $84.94. The company has a quick ratio of 2.86, a current ratio of 4.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48.

Merit Medical Systems (NASDAQ:MMSI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 24th. The medical instruments supplier reported $1.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.08. The company had revenue of $393.94 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $390.77 million. Merit Medical Systems had a net margin of 8.48% and a return on equity of 14.06%. The business’s revenue was up 10.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.93 EPS. Merit Medical Systems has set its FY 2026 guidance at 4.010-4.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Merit Medical Systems, Inc. will post 3.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merit Medical Systems Company Profile

Merit Medical Systems, Inc is a global manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of medical devices used in diagnostic and interventional procedures. The company’s product portfolio encompasses vascular access, drainage, embolotherapy, and interventional oncology devices, as well as radiofrequency ablation systems and hemostasis solutions. These products serve physicians and hospitals in critical care settings and support minimally invasive treatment options across multiple specialties, including cardiology, radiology, oncology, neurology and endoscopy.

Founded in 1987 by Fred Lampropoulos, Merit Medical Systems has grown through both organic development and targeted acquisitions to expand its technology offerings and geographic reach.