Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Stock Sold by HBW Advisory Services LLC

HBW Advisory Services LLC reduced its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 31.7% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 18,454 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,583 shares during the period. HBW Advisory Services LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $2,682,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of MRK. KG Capital Management purchased a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $219,000. VMS Asset Management Limited bought a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $5,390,000. B.A. Schrock Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter valued at $3,516,000. Howard Financial Services LTD. boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 10.0% during the 3rd quarter. Howard Financial Services LTD. now owns 8,962 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,302,000 after purchasing an additional 817 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ashurst Perkins Coie Trust Co boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 8.7% during the 3rd quarter. Ashurst Perkins Coie Trust Co now owns 3,554 shares of the company’s stock valued at $516,000 after purchasing an additional 284 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Keytruda and pipeline catalysts support Q3 optimism. Continued Keytruda sales growth, expanded indications and newer launches could help Merck exceed third-quarter expectations. Will Keytruda Continue to Aid Merck’s Top Line in Q3 Earnings?
• Positive Sentiment: Oncology pipeline data is an important longer-term catalyst. Merck plans to present first-time pivotal Phase 3 results from three studies and more than 90 additional abstracts at ESMO 2026, potentially providing evidence of growth opportunities as Keytruda eventually faces biosimilar pressure. Merck ESMO 2026 Oncology Pipeline Announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Management sounded constructive on the Moderna cancer vaccine partnership. CEO Rob Davis said manufacturing of the personalized cancer vaccine should become faster and more efficient as Merck and Moderna refine the complex production process. Merck CEO Discusses Cancer Vaccine Manufacturing
• Positive Sentiment: Leerink Partners initiated or reiterated a Buy rating on Merck, adding favorable analyst sentiment. Merck Gets a Buy Rating from Leerink Partners

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently weighed in on MRK. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $120.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $142.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Guggenheim increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $146.00 to $170.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th. Wolfe Research increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Finally, Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $127.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, September 11th. Seventeen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $151.92.

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In related news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 80,315 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.46, for a total value of $10,718,839.90. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 45,509 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,073,631.14. The trade was a 63.83% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP David Williams sold 52,847 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.77, for a total value of $6,805,108.19. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 31,716 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,084,069.32. The trade was a 62.49% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783. Company insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 3.9%

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $147.47 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $363.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 117.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 0.21. The company’s 50 day moving average is $144.91 and its 200 day moving average is $128.93. Merck & Co., Inc. has a twelve month low of $82.01 and a twelve month high of $156.92. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. The company had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.13 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.66 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 272.00%.

Merck & Co., Inc. Profile

Merck & Co, Inc is a global healthcare company that develops and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal-health products. The company serves patients, healthcare providers, and customers in markets around the world, with research and commercial operations spanning multiple geographic regions.

Its pharmaceutical portfolio includes oncology, infectious-disease, cardiovascular, immunology, and other therapeutic areas. Key products include Keytruda, an oncology treatment; Gardasil, a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; Januvia and Janumet for type 2 diabetes; Bridion for anesthesia-related use; and Winrevair for pulmonary arterial hypertension.