Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Newly Purchased by Neumann Capital Management LLC

Neumann Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 8,527 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,239,000.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of MRK. Bullseye Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Horizons Wealth Management bought a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Graney & King LLC grew its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 400.0% during the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 250 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Montgomery Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $41,000. Finally, Evergreen Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 1st quarter worth approximately $43,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Richard Deluca sold 20,784 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $130.43, for a total transaction of $2,710,857.12. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 134,703 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $17,569,312.29. This represents a 13.37% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP David Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total value of $2,407,836.32. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,212 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,344,248.64. This trade represents a 50.67% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783 over the last three months. 0.17% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on MRK. Weiss Ratings upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, August 21st. Berenberg Bank raised their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $127.00 to $137.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, September 11th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $142.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 4th. Seventeen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $151.92.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck plans to present first-time pivotal Phase 3 data at ESMO 2026 for oncology programs including melanoma and endometrial cancer. The company will also hold an oncology investor event, potentially giving investors greater visibility into growth opportunities beyond Keytruda. What Could Merck Reveal At ESMO 2026 About Its Oncology Pipeline?
• Positive Sentiment: CEO Rob Davis said Merck and Moderna expect manufacturing of their personalized cancer vaccine to become faster over time. Improving production efficiency could support broader commercialization of the vaccine, although manufacturing remains complex. Merck CEO Tells CNBC He Expects Breakthrough Cancer Vaccine Will Become Faster to Make
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts expect Keytruda sales growth, newer product launches and expanded indications to support third-quarter revenue. However, biosimilar competition is expected to become a more significant risk in 2028–2029, making pipeline execution increasingly important. Will Keytruda Continue to Aid Merck’s Top Line in Q3 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s dividend yield is about 2.3%, but comparisons with Amgen highlight differing levels of dividend coverage and cash-flow flexibility. The analysis may influence income-focused investors but does not introduce a new company-specific catalyst. AMGN vs. MRK: Which Pharma Giant’s Dividend Actually Has Room to Grow
• Negative Sentiment: Merck trades at a premium valuation of roughly 5.5 times sales, increasing the market’s expectations for sustained growth. Investors are also monitoring the changing emphasis in management’s strategy and continuing challenges for the Gardasil vaccine business in China. How Has Merck’s Story Changed?

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MRK opened at $145.66 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $359.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 116.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.81 and a beta of 0.21. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $145.26 and a 200-day moving average price of $129.12. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $82.01 and a 12 month high of $156.92.

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

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were given a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.3%. 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.