22,128 Shares in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Purchased by Birmingham Capital Management Co. Inc. AL

Birmingham Capital Management Co. Inc. AL acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund acquired 22,128 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,843,000. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for approximately 1.1% of Birmingham Capital Management Co. Inc. AL’s holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest holding.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 95.2% during the fourth quarter. Pinnbrook Capital Management LP now owns 23,280 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,450,000 after acquiring an additional 11,355 shares during the last quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 32.6% in the fourth quarter. Cibc World Market Inc. now owns 1,301,744 shares of the company’s stock worth $137,022,000 after purchasing an additional 320,143 shares during the last quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 13.9% during the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 1,843,042 shares of the company’s stock valued at $193,999,000 after purchasing an additional 224,752 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.0% during the 2nd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 2,578,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $331,931,000 after purchasing an additional 51,393 shares during the period. Finally, Panagora Asset Management Inc. raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 410.5% during the 4th quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 705,442 shares of the company’s stock valued at $74,255,000 after purchasing an additional 567,249 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Down 2.1%

NYSE MRK opened at $153.21 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. Merck & Co., Inc. has a twelve month low of $77.58 and a twelve month high of $156.92. The firm has a market capitalization of $378.00 billion, a PE ratio of 122.57, a P/E/G ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 0.19. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $130.39 and its 200 day moving average is $122.04.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.26) by $0.13. The business had revenue of $16.61 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.37 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 4.77%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.13 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Research analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is currently 272.00%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

MRK has been the subject of several research analyst reports. UBS Group increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Barclays upped their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Scotiabank raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $136.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada lowered shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $142.00 to $150.00 in a report on Thursday, August 20th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $147.60.

Key Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Positive melanoma results strengthen the pipeline. Merck and Moderna reported positive Phase 3 topline results for intismeran autogene, an individualized neoantigen therapy used with KEYTRUDA in resected melanoma. The program could create a new growth opportunity and help extend KEYTRUDA’s commercial runway. Merck Surges on a Melanoma Win
• Positive Sentiment: A busy fall catalyst calendar is attracting investors. Upcoming FDA decisions, additional pipeline updates and a pivotal cancer-vaccine readout could materially influence expectations for Merck’s post-KEYTRUDA growth profile. What Would It Take to Get MRK Stock to $200?
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline progress, new product launches and potential M&A are improving the long-term growth outlook and easing concerns about eventual KEYTRUDA revenue pressure. Merck Stock Hits New 52-Week High
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts have become more bullish. Wolfe Research raised its price target from $155 to $180 with an outperform rating, while Argus increased its target from $145 to $170 and upgraded the stock to buy. These revisions provide additional support for the recent advance.
• Neutral Sentiment: The cancer-vaccine opportunity remains uncertain. Reuters noted that evidence for broad use of the personalized therapy is still limited, with manufacturing, patient-selection and clinical-adoption challenges potentially affecting its commercial impact. How the Merck-Moderna Cancer Vaccine Works
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and execution risks are increasing. After gaining roughly 19% over the past month and trading near its 52-week high, MRK is approaching analyst targets, leaving less room for disappointment. Investors will likely focus on whether upcoming approvals and trial results can justify further upside.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP David R. Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total value of $2,407,836.32. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 18,212 shares in the company, valued at $2,344,248.64. This trade represents a 50.67% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP David Michael Williams sold 52,847 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $128.77, for a total transaction of $6,805,108.19. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 31,716 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,084,069.32. This trade represents a 62.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 228,238 shares of company stock worth $29,977,783 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. 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.