Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by Bailard Inc.

Bailard Inc. trimmed its position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 50.8% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 29,044 shares of the company’s stock after selling 30,041 shares during the quarter. Bailard Inc.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $2,438,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Chemung Canal Trust Co. boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 21.1% in the 3rd quarter. Chemung Canal Trust Co. now owns 76,338 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,407,000 after buying an additional 13,285 shares during the period. First Pacific Financial raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 14.7% in the third quarter. First Pacific Financial now owns 47,555 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,991,000 after acquiring an additional 6,082 shares in the last quarter. Diversified Trust Co raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.6% in the third quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 207,838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,444,000 after acquiring an additional 18,187 shares in the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 23.3% in the second quarter. Caxton Associates LLP now owns 39,421 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,121,000 after acquiring an additional 7,458 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.8% during the 2nd quarter. MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH now owns 888,415 shares of the company’s stock worth $70,327,000 after acquiring an additional 79,529 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on MRK shares. Bank of America raised their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Wolfe Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. BMO Capital Markets raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $82.00 to $130.00 in a report on Thursday, December 18th. TD Cowen increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 17th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $114.20.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

MRK stock opened at $111.09 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The company has a market capitalization of $275.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.68, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.29. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $103.31 and a 200-day simple moving average of $90.68. Merck & Co., Inc. has a twelve month low of $73.31 and a twelve month high of $112.90.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.08 by ($0.14). Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 29.63% and a return on equity of 44.54%. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, December 15th were paid a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. This is a positive change from Merck & Co., Inc.’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.81. The ex-dividend date was Monday, December 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is currently 44.91%.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Five‑year data from the Moderna + Merck cancer‑vaccine study showed a sustained, clinically meaningful reduction in risk of recurrence or death for high‑risk melanoma when given with KEYTRUDA — a result that boosts Merck’s oncology franchise and long‑term revenue potential. Moderna, Merck’s skin cancer vaccine shows sustained benefit after five years
• Positive Sentiment: Merck and CEPI launched a $30M program to develop a more affordable Ebola vaccine aimed at improving access in low‑ and middle‑income countries — positive for Merck’s public‑health standing and potential future demand in emerging markets. Merck partners with global health coalition to develop affordable Ebola vaccine
• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen raised its price target on MRK from $100 to $120 (maintaining a Hold), signaling analyst confidence in upside versus the prior target and supporting the stock’s move. TD Cowen raises MRK price target
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage and analyst commentary highlighting Merck’s M&A activity and pipeline expansion (especially in oncology) are fueling bullish sentiment that MRK could re‑rate if execution continues. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Poised for Breakout After Strategic M&A and Pipeline Expansion
• Neutral Sentiment: Short market note: MRK was reported to have traded higher than the broader market in the recent session — a snapshot confirming the intraday strength but not a standalone catalyst. Merck (MRK) Rises Higher Than Market: Key Facts
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck appears on dividend/yield screens (e.g., “Dogs of the Dow” coverage), which can attract income‑oriented investors but is peripheral to near‑term fundamental drivers. The Dogs of the Dow: 10 Downtrodden Dividends Paying Out Up to 6.8%
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts warn Gardasil sales remain weak in China and Japan, creating near‑term revenue pressure heading into Q4 results — a clear negative that could limit upside until growth stabilizes. Will Weak Gardasil Sales Continue to Ail MRK Revenues in Q4 Earnings?

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 8,614 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.59, for a total value of $720,044.26. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 24,578 shares in the company, valued at $2,054,475.02. The trade was a 25.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

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.