Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Stock Price Expected to Rise, TD Cowen Analyst Says

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) had its target price increased by stock analysts at TD Cowen from $100.00 to $120.00 in a research note issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “hold” rating on the stock. TD Cowen’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 8.02% from the company’s previous close.

Several other brokerages also recently issued reports on MRK. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Bank of America upped their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their target price for the company from $82.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Zacks Research cut Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 7th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $114.20.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 1.5%

NYSE MRK opened at $111.09 on Tuesday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $73.31 and a 12 month high of $112.90. 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 stock’s fifty day moving average price is $103.31 and its 200-day moving average price is $90.68. The stock has a market cap of $275.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.68, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.29.

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

Insider Activity at Merck & Co., Inc.

In related news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 8,614 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.59, for a total transaction of $720,044.26. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 24,578 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,054,475.02. This represents a 25.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in MRK. Chemung Canal Trust Co. lifted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 21.1% in the 3rd quarter. Chemung Canal Trust Co. now owns 76,338 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,407,000 after purchasing an additional 13,285 shares in the last quarter. First Pacific Financial grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 14.7% during the 3rd quarter. First Pacific Financial now owns 47,555 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,991,000 after buying an additional 6,082 shares in the last quarter. Diversified Trust Co raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.6% during the third quarter. Diversified Trust Co now owns 207,838 shares of the company’s stock valued at $17,444,000 after buying an additional 18,187 shares during the last quarter. Caxton Associates LLP lifted its holdings in shares of 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 buying an additional 7,458 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MEAG MUNICH ERGO Kapitalanlagegesellschaft mbH boosted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.8% during the second 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 during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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?

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.