Jennifer Zachary Sells 121,573 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Stock

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) EVP Jennifer Zachary sold 121,573 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.15, for a total value of $14,485,422.95. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 68,916 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,211,341.40. This trade represents a 63.82% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Down 3.5%

Merck & Co., Inc. stock traded down $4.26 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $117.67. 16,007,310 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 14,144,574. The stock has a market capitalization of $292.06 billion, a PE ratio of 16.16, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.28. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $106.58 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $93.29. 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. has a 52 week low of $73.31 and a 52 week high of $122.66.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, beating 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 business had revenue of $16.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.19 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.72 EPS. The firm’s quarterly 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. Equities research analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The company 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 of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 46.70%.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Keytruda patent protection extended to late‑2029 and strategic execution could unlock near‑term cash and boost longer‑term value—analyst note calls MRK a “buy” for 2026 and forecasts material upside from QLEX migration and other levers. Merck: A Buy For 2026, But The Clock Is Still Ticking
• Positive Sentiment: Bull case argues the recent price surge isn’t excessive given a diverse portfolio, new approvals (QLEX), strong vaccine performance (Capvaxive up ~460%), and ongoing pipeline innovation to offset future Keytruda erosion. Merck: The Spike Doesn’t Make It Overvalued
• Positive Sentiment: Recent analyst upgrade has already supported an earlier price uptick, reflecting renewed investor enthusiasm around growth and dividend attractiveness. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Stock Price Up 1.8% After Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Investment write‑ups highlight Merck as a Dow Dividend candidate for long‑term income investors, reinforcing buy‑and‑hold demand for dividend strategies. 3 Top Dow Jones Dividend Stocks to Buy for Passive Income in 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Longer-form bull case pieces are circulating that recap upside scenarios and risks; useful for context but not a single catalytic item. Merck Co., Inc. (MRK): A bull case theory
• Negative Sentiment: Street sentiment cooled with a recent downgrade, which can pressure momentum investors and reduce near‑term upside. From Bargain To Balancing Act: Merck’s Next Test Begins (Rating Downgrade)
• Negative Sentiment: Several high‑profile insider sales (CFO, EVP and other executives) totaling multi‑million dollars were reported over the last 48 hours; large insider dispositions often raise short‑term concern about insider conviction. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) CFO Sells $5,023,261.17 in Stock Insider Selling: Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) EVP Sells $4,556,870.20 in Stock Dean Li Sells 15,087 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc.
• Negative Sentiment: Another boutique outlet lowered its rating, adding to the mix of caution from some analysts and possibly amplifying volatility. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Stock Rating Lowered by Wall Street Zen

Institutional Trading of Merck & Co., Inc.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of MRK. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 237.4% during the third quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC now owns 307 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Kilter Group LLC bought a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the second quarter worth $27,000. Bare Financial Services Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 51.9% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 366 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 302.3% in the 3rd quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 354 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the topic of several research reports. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. 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. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 4th. TD Cowen boosted 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 report on Tuesday, January 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $119.53.

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.