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S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?
S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?
S&P 500   5,254.35
DOW   39,807.37
QQQ   444.01
Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month
Delta Airline’s Put Option Activity Isn’t Bad News
Disney Stock Catches 3 Upgrades In a Single Week
7 Stocks That Will Drive the Weight Loss Drugs Market
3 Value Stocks Too Small For Buffett’s Portfolio
Walgreens Boots Alliance: Deep Value With Nowhere to Go But Up
Krispy Kreme's Sweet Deal: McDonald's Partnership Sparks Growth?
NYSE:MRK

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Price, News & Analysis

$131.95
+0.20 (+0.15%)
(As of 05:42 PM ET)
Today's Range
$131.08
$132.42
50-Day Range
$118.54
$131.75
52-Week Range
$99.14
$133.10
Volume
10.19 million shs
Average Volume
8.81 million shs
Market Capitalization
$334.18 billion
P/E Ratio
942.50
Dividend Yield
2.33%
Price Target
$129.50

Merck & Co., Inc. MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Moderate Buy
2.60 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
1.8% Downside
$129.71 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
0.91% of Shares Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Strong
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-2.39
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
0.74mentions of Merck & Co., Inc. in the last 14 days
Based on 45 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
Selling Shares
$6.55 M Sold Last Quarter
Proj. Earnings Growth
14.57%
From $8.58 to $9.83 Per Share

Overall MarketRank

New Rank-Based ScoringMarketRank is calculated by averaging available category scores (with extra weight given to analysis and valuation), then ranking the company's weighted average against that of other companies.

4.91 out of 5 stars

Medical Sector

28th out of 938 stocks

Pharmaceutical Preparations Industry

12th out of 433 stocks

MRK stock logo

About Merck & Co., Inc. Stock (NYSE:MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. is a US-based multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company. It was officially founded in 1891 as the US arm of Merck Group, headquartered in Germany. Merck Group was founded in 1668 when Friedrick Jacob Merck purchased a pharmacy in Darmstadt, Germany. The company transformed from a pharmacy into a drug manufacturer in 1827 with the commercialization of morphine and the perfection of the manufacturing process. The company will later gain recognition for isolating and commercializing the manufacture of cocaine as well.

Merck Group sent Theodore Weicker to New York as its representative in 1889 and he quickly began to set up operations. The original investment of $200,000 resulted in a facility in lower Manhattan and the addition of Merck family member George Merck to the project. They began operations in 1891 and were in business as the US branch of Merck Group until 1917 and the onset of World War I.

World War I brought about the Trading With The Enemy Act of 1917 and the nationalization of Merck Group’s US operations. Those operations were repurchased at a government auction only 2 years later with the help of Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers, but the split was done. The company retained rights to the Merck name in the US but remained independent. One of many noteworthy achievements in the post-War period is the discovery of streptomycin, which was revolutionary in treating tuberculosis.

In 1953 the company merged with Sharp& Dohme to form the then 2nd largest US drug manufacturer. The merger brought smallpox vaccines to the portfolio and opened a new avenue of research for the business. Since then, advancements in vaccine technology include treatments for mumps and chickenpox. Other notable advancements include the discovery of statins as a cholesterol inhibitor and work in veterinary medicine.

Today, Merck & Co operates through 2 segments and under 2 different names with a headquarters in Kenilworth, NJ.  The company operates as Merck & Co in the US and as Merck Sharp & Dohme outside the US and Canada. The 2 segments are Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. Revenue topped $49 billion in 2022 and employed more than 68,000 people. The company has 8 research facilities near major university systems, including 7 in the US and 1 in the UK. As of 2022, the company had 82 pipeline products in Phase 2 trials, 30 in Phase 3 trials and 3 under review.

The Pharmaceutical segment researches discover and commercializes human health products in several areas of medicine. These include but are not limited to oncology, acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes. This segment has 6 blockbuster drugs as of late 2022, with each generating more than $1 billion in revenue. The leading treatments are Keytruda for treating cancer-related immune conditions, Gardisil which is a vaccine for HPV and Januvia for treating Type-II diabetes. The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary healthcare products and services. Both segments sell to healthcare facilities and distributors.

MRK Stock Price History

MRK Stock News Headlines

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Company News for Mar 28, 2024
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Smart Money Is Betting Big In MRK Options
See More Headlines
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Company Calendar

Ex-Dividend for 1/8 Dividend
12/14/2023
Dividend Payable
1/08/2024
Last Earnings
2/01/2024
Ex-Dividend for 4/5 Dividend
3/14/2024
Today
3/28/2024
Dividend Payable
4/05/2024
Next Earnings (Confirmed)
4/25/2024
Fiscal Year End
12/31/2024

Industry, Sector and Symbol

Sector
Medical
Industry
Pharmaceutical preparations
Sub-Industry
Pharmaceuticals
CUSIP
58933Y10
Employees
72,000
Year Founded
1891

Price Target and Rating

Average Stock Price Target
$129.50
High Stock Price Target
$148.00
Low Stock Price Target
$104.00
Potential Upside/Downside
-1.7%
Consensus Rating
Moderate Buy
Rating Score (0-4)
2.60
Research Coverage
15 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$365 million
Pretax Margin
3.14%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$60.12 billion
Cash Flow
$3.19 per share
Book Value
$14.85 per share

Miscellaneous

Outstanding Shares
2,532,640,000
Free Float
2,527,579,000
Market Cap
$333.65 billion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
0.37

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Key Executives

  • Mr. Robert M. Davis J.D.Mr. Robert M. Davis J.D. (Age 57)
    Chairman, President & CEO
    Comp: $6.08M
  • Ms. Caroline LitchfieldMs. Caroline Litchfield (Age 55)
    Executive VP & CFO
    Comp: $2.8M
  • Ms. Jennifer L. Zachary (Age 45)
    Executive VP & General Counsel
    Comp: $2.73M
  • Dr. Dean Y. Li M.D. (Age 62)
    Ph.D., Executive VP & President of Merck Research Laboratories
    Comp: $3.44M
  • Mr. Chirfi Guindo (Age 58)
    Senior VP & Chief Marketing Officer of Human Health
    Comp: $1.54M
  • Mr. Dalton E. Smart III (Age 57)
    Senior VP of Finance, Principal Accounting Officer & Global Controller
  • Mr. David Michael Williams (Age 55)
    Executive VP and Chief Information & Digital Officer
  • Mr. Peter Dannenbaum
    Vice President of Investor Relations
  • Lisa LeCointe-Cephas (Age 42)
    Senior VP and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer
  • Ms. Cristal N. Downing (Age 55)
    Executive VP and Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer

Should I Buy Merck & Co., Inc. Stock? MRK Pros and Cons Explained

These insights were generated using artificial intelligence. They are based on proprietary MarketBeat data, news articles, and custom LLM A.I. algorithms. This analysis of Merck & Co., Inc. was last updated on Monday, March 25, 2024 at 11:37 AM.

Pros

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Merck:

  • Merck's recent FDA approval for Keytruda in combination with chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer patients showcases the company's strong position in immuno-oncology, a promising and rapidly growing field in healthcare.
  • Merck's ongoing pivotal Phase 3 trials for investigational drug candidates in oncology and hematology demonstrate the company's commitment to innovation and development of new treatments, potentially expanding its product portfolio and market reach.
  • Merck's efforts to diversify into new therapeutic areas and drugs, as seen in its plan to acquire new products, indicate a strategic approach to expanding its offerings and revenue streams, reducing reliance on key products like Keytruda and Gardasil.
  • Merck's strong financial performance, reflected in its consistent stock price growth and all-time high valuation, signals investor confidence in the company's future prospects and strategic direction.
  • Merck's leadership in vaccine products, including preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines, positions the company well to benefit from the increasing global focus on healthcare and disease prevention.

Cons

Investors should be bearish about investing in Merck for these reasons:

  • Merck's heavy reliance on Keytruda and Gardasil, which together account for a significant portion of the company's business, poses a risk in case of any setbacks or competition in these product lines, potentially impacting revenue and growth.

MRK Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy or sell Merck & Co., Inc. stock right now?

15 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Merck & Co., Inc. in the last year. There are currently 1 sell rating, 4 hold ratings and 10 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" MRK shares.
View MRK analyst ratings
or view top-rated stocks.

What is Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock price target for 2024?

15 Wall Street research analysts have issued twelve-month price objectives for Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock. Their MRK share price targets range from $104.00 to $148.00. On average, they anticipate the company's share price to reach $129.71 in the next year. This suggests that the stock has a possible downside of 1.8%.
View analysts price targets for MRK
or view top-rated stocks among Wall Street analysts.

How have MRK shares performed in 2024?

Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock was trading at $109.02 on January 1st, 2024. Since then, MRK stock has increased by 21.2% and is now trading at $132.09.
View the best growth stocks for 2024 here
.

Are investors shorting Merck & Co., Inc.?

Merck & Co., Inc. saw a increase in short interest in the month of March. As of March 15th, there was short interest totaling 23,160,000 shares, an increase of 39.5% from the February 29th total of 16,600,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 8,360,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.8 days.
View Merck & Co., Inc.'s Short Interest
.

When is Merck & Co., Inc.'s next earnings date?

The company is scheduled to release its next quarterly earnings announcement on Thursday, April 25th 2024.
View our MRK earnings forecast
.

How can I listen to Merck & Co., Inc.'s earnings call?

Merck & Co., Inc. will be holding an earnings conference call on Thursday, April 25th at 9:00 AM Eastern. Interested parties can register for or listen to the call using this link.

How were Merck & Co., Inc.'s earnings last quarter?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February, 1st. The company reported $0.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.09) by $0.12. The firm earned $14.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $14.49 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 0.61% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 9.33%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $1.62 EPS.
Read the conference call transcript
.

How often does Merck & Co., Inc. pay dividends? What is the dividend yield for Merck & Co., Inc.?

Merck & Co., Inc. declared a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, January 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.77 per share on Friday, April 5th. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.33%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th.
Read our dividend analysis for MRK
.

Is Merck & Co., Inc. a good dividend stock?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) pays an annual dividend of $3.08 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 2.45%. The company has been increasing its dividend for 13 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio is 2,200.00%. Payout ratios above 75% are not desirable because they may not be sustainable. Based on earnings estimates, MRK will have a dividend payout ratio of 31.33% next year. This indicates that the company will be able to sustain or increase its dividend.
Read our dividend analysis for MRK.

What guidance has Merck & Co., Inc. issued on next quarter's earnings?

Merck & Co., Inc. updated its FY24 earnings guidance on Thursday, February, 1st. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $8.44 to $8.59 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.40. The company issued revenue guidance of $62.7 billion to $64.2 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $63.47 billion.

What is Kenneth C. Frazier's approval rating as Merck & Co., Inc.'s CEO?

1,343 employees have rated Merck & Co., Inc. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth C. Frazier on Glassdoor.com. Kenneth C. Frazier has an approval rating of 94% among the company's employees. This puts Kenneth C. Frazier in the top 30% of approval ratings compared to other CEOs of publicly-traded companies.

What other stocks do shareholders of Merck & Co., Inc. own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some companies that other Merck & Co., Inc. investors own include Pfizer (PFE), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), AT&T (T), Intel (INTC), Cisco Systems (CSCO), Walt Disney (DIS), Verizon Communications (VZ), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), AbbVie (ABBV) and Home Depot (HD).

Who are Merck & Co., Inc.'s major shareholders?

Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock is owned by many different retail and institutional investors. Top institutional investors include Vanguard Group Inc. (9.66%), Wellington Management Group LLP (3.38%), Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. (1.45%), Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD (1.19%), Norges Bank (1.13%) and Northern Trust Corp (1.12%). Insiders that own company stock include Caroline Litchfield, Frank Clyburn, Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen, Joseph Romanelli, Kenneth C Frazier, Richard R Deluca, Rita A Karachun, Robert M Davis, Sanat Chattopadhyay and Steven Mizell.
View institutional ownership trends
.

How do I buy shares of Merck & Co., Inc.?

Shares of MRK stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services.
Compare Top Brokerages Here.

This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 3/28/2024 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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