Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 5.000-5.150 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 5.860. The company issued revenue guidance of $65.5 billion-$67.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $67.5 billion.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock traded up $3.36 during trading on Thursday, reaching $121.69. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 3,072,458 shares, compared to its average volume of 13,315,722. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $105.93 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $92.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $302.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.73, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.28. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Merck & Co., Inc. has a one year low of $73.31 and a one year high of $122.22.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.01 by $0.03. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 28.08% and a return on equity of 45.22%. The company had revenue of $16.40 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.19 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.72 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000-5.150 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 44.91%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on 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. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, January 31st. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $82.00 to $130.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 18th. Bank of America increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $110.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $117.87.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — Merck reported Q4 EPS and revenue above estimates (EPS ~$2.04; revenue ~$16.4B), driven in part by Keytruda strength; that beat is the primary reason for upside interest. Merck Q4 Highlights
• Positive Sentiment: Bullish note from Wells Fargo — Wells Fargo raised its price target to $135 and reaffirmed an overweight rating, providing upside guidance from a major analyst. Wells Fargo raises PT to $135
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile endorsement — TV commentator Jim Cramer called MRK one of his favorite pharma stocks, which can boost retail demand and sentiment. Jim Cramer on Merck
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst target tweaks — Cantor Fitzgerald and Citigroup raised price targets to $120 but kept neutral ratings (limited directional effect compared with Wells Fargo’s overweight call). Analyst PT changes
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call detail — Full call transcripts and highlights are available for investors who want detail on revenue drivers, margin and R&D/oncology investment plans. Earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Cautious 2026 outlook — Management’s FY‑2026 guidance was more conservative than some expected, which prompted profit‑taking and headlines that shares were pressured despite the beat. Merck cautious on 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction to guidance — Coverage notes the stock fell in pre-market or saw mixed trading as investors weighed the upbeat quarter against the weaker 2026 view. Zacks on market reaction

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Merck & Co., Inc.

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,808,000 after purchasing an additional 8,710 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company’s stock valued at $910,000 after purchasing an additional 3,941 shares during the period. Diversify Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% during the 2nd quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,590,000 after buying an additional 15,636 shares during the last quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% during the 2nd quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,054,000 after buying an additional 6,897 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% in the 2nd quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,918,000 after buying an additional 359,356 shares during the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.