Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Price Target Raised to $115.00

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) had its price target lifted by Citigroup from $110.00 to $115.00 in a research note published on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the stock.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, January 8th. BMO Capital Markets upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $82.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Scotiabank boosted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, December 4th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $114.53.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $108.25 on Tuesday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $73.31 and a 52 week high of $112.90. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $104.95 and its 200-day simple moving average is $91.68. The firm has a market cap of $268.68 billion, a PE ratio of 14.30, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77.

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

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be paid a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is 44.91%.

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

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

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

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of MRK. DLD Asset Management LP acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. in the second quarter valued at approximately $2,889,340,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,858,570,000. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 23.5% during the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 27,032,601 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,139,901,000 after acquiring an additional 5,135,748 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership increased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 35.5% in the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 19,456,096 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,540,145,000 after purchasing an additional 5,094,088 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.4% in the 2nd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 53,865,466 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,263,991,000 after purchasing an additional 4,636,183 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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: Market context: Zacks highlights that Merck outperformed the broader market session even as the market dipped, signaling defensive demand and relative strength. Increased investor interest helped lift the share price. Why the Market Dipped But Merck (MRK) Gained Today
• Positive Sentiment: Rally narrative: Forbes notes a 41% six‑month surge driven by profit growth and rising investor confidence — a storyline that attracts momentum buyers and supports valuation multiples. What’s Fueling The Rally In Merck Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend: Merck declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 (annualized yield ~3.2%), which supports income investor demand and can be a stabilizer for the stock around earnings. Dividend Declaration (source)
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 previews and estimates: Zacks published pieces that walk through Wall Street’s top‑line and key‑metric expectations for the quarter and highlight items analysts will watch (revenue mix, margin drivers). These previews increase focus and can amplify moves post‑release but are informational until the actual print. Curious about Merck (MRK) Q4 Performance? Explore Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics
• Neutral Sentiment: Product watch: Zacks highlights non‑oncology drugs (Capvaxive, Winrevair) and Animal Health sales as Q4 catalysts — positive outcomes could extend the rally, but these remain ahead of confirmation. Merck’s Non-Oncology Drugs Q4 Performance: What to Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor interest: Zacks notes MRK is a trending/most‑searched stock, which raises volume and volatility but doesn’t by itself change fundamentals. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage: Zacks and other outlets summarize broker commentary and ratings; AmericanBankingNews reports an average “Hold” from brokerages — a neutral consensus that can cap upside unless upgraded. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: Execution risk / near‑term earnings: recent EPS dynamics and any miss versus Wall Street (covered in previews) are the main near‑term downside risk — a weaker Q4 print or guidance could reverse the recent rally. Brokers Suggest Investing in Merck (MRK): Read This Before Placing a Bet

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

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.