Choreo LLC Lowers Stock Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Choreo LLC trimmed its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 4.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 119,377 shares of the company’s stock after selling 5,332 shares during the quarter. Choreo LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $10,113,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA increased its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.4% in the third quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 3,566 shares of the company’s stock valued at $299,000 after purchasing an additional 116 shares during the period. Security National Bank of Sioux City Iowa IA grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.6% during the third quarter. Security National Bank of Sioux City Iowa IA now owns 3,402 shares of the company’s stock worth $286,000 after buying an additional 119 shares during the last quarter. Investors Research Corp increased its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Investors Research Corp now owns 9,325 shares of the company’s stock valued at $783,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the period. Trust Point Inc. raised its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 14,834 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,245,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Washington Trust Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Washington Trust Advisors Inc. now owns 8,943 shares of the company’s stock valued at $751,000 after acquiring an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada initiated coverage with an “outperform”/”moderate buy” and a $142 price target, highlighting analyst conviction and potential upside for MRK. Royal Bank of Canada Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Merck announced late‑breaking Phase 3 data for the doravirine/islatravir (DOR/ISL) two‑drug HIV regimen and is in FDA review; trial results matched an established competitor (Biktarvy), supporting a potential new HIV franchise as Keytruda faces patent pressure. DOR/ISL Phase 3 Data (BusinessWire)
• Positive Sentiment: Merck Animal Health received FDA approval for NUMELVI (atinvicitinib) for control of pruritus in dogs — a product approval that diversifies revenue and strengthens the veterinary business. NUMELVI FDA Approval
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and research pieces (Zacks, ResearchAndMarkets profile) are increasing visibility and may attract more institutional interest, but they are informational rather than immediate price catalysts. Zacks Trending Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Articles noting retirees shifting into dividend funds could help demand for large dividend-paying pharma names like MRK over time, but this is a gradual flow rather than an immediate driver. Dividend Funds Flow
• Negative Sentiment: Retail sentiment on Reddit has cooled sharply (reported drop from bullish 63 to neutral 43), suggesting some short-term retail profit‑taking and weaker buyer interest despite the positive news flow. Reddit Sentiment Cooling

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total transaction of $14,485,422.95. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 68,916 shares in the company, valued at $8,211,341.40. This trade represents a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CFO Caroline Litchfield sold 41,997 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.61, for a total value of $5,023,261.17. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 90,192 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,787,865.12. The trade was a 31.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 320,176 shares of company stock worth $38,281,735 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

MRK opened at $119.30 on Friday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $73.31 and a 1-year high of $125.14. The stock has a market cap of $294.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.39, a P/E/G ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 0.28. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $112.48 and its 200 day simple moving average is $96.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.54 and a quick ratio of 1.44.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.01 by $0.03. The business had revenue of $16.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.19 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 28.08% and a return on equity of 44.57%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.72 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000-5.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is 46.70%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $142.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Research lowered shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have assigned a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $125.88.

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.