Epoch Investment Partners Inc. Grows Stock Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Epoch Investment Partners Inc. lifted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 2.5% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 710,451 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 17,339 shares during the period. Epoch Investment Partners Inc.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $74,782,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in MRK. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. United Financial Planning Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. High Note Wealth LLC increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the 4th quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 109 shares during the last quarter. IFC & Insurance Marketing Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Gilpin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $32,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck Animal Health announced a definitive agreement to acquire TARGAN, a poultry biodevice company, which could strengthen Merck’s animal health division and broaden its technology-driven growth opportunities. Merck Animal Health to Acquire TARGAN
• Positive Sentiment: Merck saw unusually heavy call option buying, with traders purchasing 170,441 calls, a sharp jump versus normal volume that often signals bullish expectations from sophisticated investors.
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo reiterated a buy rating on Merck, while another article highlighted that Wall Street’s overall bullish view continues to keep MRK on investors’ radar.
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck has also been featured in broader market commentary and “most searched” lists, suggesting rising attention rather than a new fundamental catalyst.
• Neutral Sentiment: One article noted Merck’s recent trading uptick but said it lagged the broader market, indicating modest price strength rather than a major breakout. Merck (MRK) Rises Yet Lags Behind Market: Some Facts Worth Knowing

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of MRK opened at $119.05 on Friday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $76.66 and a 1-year high of $125.14. The stock has a market cap of $294.04 billion, a PE ratio of 33.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.21. 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 firm has a fifty day moving average price of $116.55 and a 200 day moving average price of $113.23.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 27.55%. The firm had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc.’s quarterly revenue was up 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 95.77%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MRK has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Barclays started coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Friday, February 20th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 target price for the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 6th. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 price target for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, April 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $128.18.

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.