Securian Asset Management Inc. Has $7.10 Million Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Securian Asset Management Inc. lowered its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 44.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 67,491 shares of the company’s stock after selling 53,138 shares during the quarter. Securian Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $7,104,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. United Financial Planning Group LLC acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Wealth Watch Advisors INC acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Dunhill Financial LLC grew its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 83.0% in 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 during the period. Silicon Valley Capital Partners grew its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 160.5% in 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 during the period. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp grew its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 53.6% in the 3rd quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 450 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts recently issued reports on MRK shares. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $142.00 price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Guggenheim lifted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $122.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 28th. 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 research report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Barclays initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 price objective on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $128.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

MRK opened at $111.26 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The company has a market capitalization of $274.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.34, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.18. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $117.07 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $108.31. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1 year low of $73.31 and a 1 year high of $125.14.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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. The firm had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate 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 previous year, the firm earned $2.22 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck published a landmark Science paper on a new large-scale biocatalytic synthesis method for its investigational oral PCSK9 inhibitor, enlicitide decanoate. The work supports manufacturing scalability for a potential future cardiovascular drug and underscores progress in Merck’s pipeline. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Merck also became the sole testing provider for Genetix Biotherapeutics’ FDA-approved gene therapies under a five-year agreement, strengthening its BioReliance services business and adding a recurring commercialization-related revenue stream. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst commentary highlighted Merck as a well-prepared dividend stock despite its upcoming patent cliff, suggesting the market is still weighing long-term earnings durability rather than reacting to a single catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Merck is heading toward a July 27 trial over Gardasil safety claims after the vaccine reached an $8.9 billion sales peak. The litigation risk could weigh on sentiment around one of Merck’s key growth franchises, even though the company continues to defend the product’s safety record. Article Title

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.