Money Concepts Capital Corp Reduces Stock Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Money Concepts Capital Corp reduced its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 58.2% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 14,355 shares of the company’s stock after selling 19,996 shares during the period. Money Concepts Capital Corp’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $1,511,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. United Financial Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Wealth Watch Advisors INC acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 83.0% during the 3rd quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 419 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 190 shares during the period. Silicon Valley Capital Partners boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 160.5% during the 3rd quarter. Silicon Valley Capital Partners now owns 422 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares during the period. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 53.6% during the 3rd quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 450 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 157 shares during the period. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

NYSE:MRK opened at $112.40 on Wednesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $116.47 and its 200 day moving average price is $108.83. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $73.31 and a 1-year high of $125.14. 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 market cap of $277.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The company had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter last 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. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.16 EPS for the current year.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck highlighted new long-term oncology data and more than 100 ASCO 2026 abstracts spanning over 25 cancer types, underscoring the depth of its KEYTRUDA-driven pipeline and giving investors fresh reasons to stay constructive on the growth outlook. Merck Highlights New Long-Term Data and Advancements Across Broad Oncology Portfolio and Pipeline Research at ASCO 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Merck expanded KEYTRUDA collaborations with Erasca and Inhibrx, including a new trial collaboration and encouraging interim Phase 2 results that could advance into Phase 3, signaling continued external validation of its oncology franchise. Merck Broadens KEYTRUDA Collaborations As Patent Expiry Pressure Builds
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and commentary continue to point to Merck’s growth drivers, with reports emphasizing pipeline strength and Keytruda-related momentum after the company beat quarterly revenue expectations. Merck (MRK) Tops Quarterly Sales Forecasts as Keytruda Drives Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Citi reinstated Merck with a Neutral rating and a $125 price target, suggesting limited near-term upside despite a still-supportive valuation backdrop. Analyst Reinstates Merck (MRK) with ‘Neutral’ Rating, $125 Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks noted that investors are weighing Merck’s earnings beat against pipeline setbacks and weakness in Gardasil, creating a mixed fundamental picture rather than a clean catalyst. Merck Stock Down 7% in a Month: Should Investors Hold or Exit?
• Negative Sentiment: Merck continues to face pressure from patent-expiry concerns and commentary about slowing parts of the portfolio, which can limit enthusiasm even after recent positive trial and sales updates. Merck Broadens KEYTRUDA Collaborations As Patent Expiry Pressure Builds

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Friday, February 20th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $140.00 price target for the company. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Guggenheim increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $122.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $145.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $128.18.

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.