Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Receives Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has received a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the nineteen brokerages that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $128.1765.

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Wall Street Zen raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday. Barclays started coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 target price for the company. UBS Group lifted their price target 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. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Abound Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Prosperity Bancshares Inc purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. United Financial Planning Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the third quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, High Note Wealth LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the fourth quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.2%

NYSE MRK opened at $121.05 on Wednesday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $76.66 and a 12 month high of $125.14. The company has a market capitalization of $298.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.10, a PEG ratio of 2.72 and a beta of 0.21. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $116.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $112.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.06.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $16.29 billion during 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 firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be given a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 95.77%.

Trending Headlines about Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck reached a settlement of more than $50 million to resolve over 200 Gardasil-related lawsuits, removing a significant legal overhang and helping investors refocus on the company’s core business and pipeline. Merck Gardasil Settlement Eases Legal Overhang And Refocuses Investor Attention
• Positive Sentiment: Merck recently broke above both its 20-day and 50-day moving averages, a technical signal that traders often view as a sign of improving short-term momentum. Merck (MRK) Recently Broke Out Above the 20-Day Moving Average
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s oncology franchise continues to draw attention after ASCO 2026 updates highlighted Keytruda’s strength in solid tumors and other pipeline assets aimed at offsetting future exclusivity pressure. ASCO26: Solid tumour data readouts outline Merck & Co’s oncology prowess
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s collaboration with Moderna on a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine also got a boost from positive long-term data disclosed by Moderna, reinforcing investor interest in the partnership. Why Is Moderna (MRNA) Stock Rocketing Higher Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s conference appearance and oncology strategy update likely kept investor focus on the pipeline, but the items available do not indicate a major new catalyst beyond ongoing progress. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Discusses Oncology Strategy and Program Update With Focus on Clinical Progress and Pipeline Diversification – Slideshow

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.