Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by AustralianSuper Pty Ltd

AustralianSuper Pty Ltd decreased its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 11.7% during the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 648,251 shares of the company’s stock after selling 85,502 shares during the quarter. AustralianSuper Pty Ltd’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $54,408,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,808,000 after buying an additional 8,710 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company’s stock valued at $910,000 after acquiring an additional 3,941 shares during the period. Janney Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Janney Capital Management LLC now owns 14,081 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,115,000 after acquiring an additional 303 shares during the period. Trivium Point Advisory LLC increased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 15.7% in the 2nd quarter. Trivium Point Advisory LLC now owns 16,308 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,291,000 after purchasing an additional 2,212 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Powers Advisory Group LLC raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 4.6% in the 2nd quarter. Powers Advisory Group LLC now owns 3,042 shares of the company’s stock worth $241,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the period. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on the company. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, December 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Wolfe Research raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $110.00 to $111.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Eight 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. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $114.53.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

MRK stock opened at $106.94 on Thursday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1 year low of $73.31 and a 1 year high of $112.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.44. The firm has a market capitalization of $265.42 billion, a PE ratio of 14.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.29. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $104.69 and a 200-day simple moving average of $91.57.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.94 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 research analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be given a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.2%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is presently 44.91%.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s multi-month rally: MERK has climbed ~41% over the past six months as profits have bumped up and investor confidence returned, providing a positive backdrop for the stock. What’s Fueling The Rally In Merck Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend boost: Merck declared a $0.85 quarterly dividend (annualized yield ~3.2%), with an ex‑dividend/record date in mid‑March and payment in April — supports income investors and can underpin the share price. Merck Announces Second-Quarter 2026 Dividend
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst target lift: Citigroup raised its price target to $115 (still a “neutral” rating), signaling modest upside in analyst models and helping sentiment. Benzinga report on Citigroup
• Positive Sentiment: Broker interest: Recent coverage pieces note that sell‑side recommendations are encouraging investors to revisit MRK, which can drive buying momentum when multiple brokers are constructive. Brokers Suggest Investing in Merck (MRK)
• Neutral Sentiment: Product/portfolio watch: Investors are shifting attention beyond Keytruda to new non‑oncology launches (Capvaxive, Winrevair) and Animal Health sales — these could drive future growth but are still early-stage drivers. Merck’s Non-Oncology Drugs Q4 Performance
• Neutral Sentiment: Quality vs. visibility: TD Cowen (covered in recent media) praises Merck’s quality but flags that growth visibility matters — a cautious note that tempers bullish narratives. Merck’s quality is clear, but growth visibility matters
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings uncertainty: Wall Street previews suggest Merck may lack the right setup for an earnings beat next week, and recent quarterly results showed an EPS miss — a near‑term headwind that likely explains downward pressure on the stock. Merck (MRK) Earnings Expected to Grow

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 8,614 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.59, for a total transaction of $720,044.26. Following the completion of 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 transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

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.