AE Wealth Management LLC Has $21.40 Million Stock Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

AE Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 254,988 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 15,398 shares during the period. AE Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $21,401,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in MRK. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA now owns 3,566 shares of the company’s stock worth $299,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. Security National Bank of Sioux City Iowa IA raised its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.6% in the third quarter. Security National Bank of Sioux City Iowa IA now owns 3,402 shares of the company’s stock worth $286,000 after purchasing an additional 119 shares during the period. Investors Research Corp boosted its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.3% during the third quarter. Investors Research Corp now owns 9,325 shares of the company’s stock worth $783,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Trust Point Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 14,834 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,245,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the period. Finally, Nicolet Bankshares Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Nicolet Bankshares Inc. now owns 6,169 shares of the company’s stock valued at $488,000 after buying an additional 121 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 8,614 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.59, for a total transaction of $720,044.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 24,578 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,054,475.02. This represents a 25.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have weighed in on MRK shares. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $110.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 18th. Wolfe Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised Merck & Co., Inc. from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $90.00 to $125.00 in a research note on Monday, November 24th. Finally, Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “sector outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. 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 company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $114.53.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of MRK opened at $108.25 on Friday. 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 twelve month low of $73.31 and a twelve month high of $112.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $268.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a 50 day moving average of $104.95 and a 200-day moving average of $91.68.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $2.08 by ($0.14). Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 44.54% and a net margin of 29.63%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.1%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 44.91%.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Market context: Zacks highlights that Merck outperformed the broader market session even as the market dipped, signaling defensive demand and relative strength. Increased investor interest helped lift the share price. Why the Market Dipped But Merck (MRK) Gained Today
• Positive Sentiment: Rally narrative: Forbes notes a 41% six‑month surge driven by profit growth and rising investor confidence — a storyline that attracts momentum buyers and supports valuation multiples. What’s Fueling The Rally In Merck Stock?
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend: Merck declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 (annualized yield ~3.2%), which supports income investor demand and can be a stabilizer for the stock around earnings. Dividend Declaration (source)
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 previews and estimates: Zacks published pieces that walk through Wall Street’s top‑line and key‑metric expectations for the quarter and highlight items analysts will watch (revenue mix, margin drivers). These previews increase focus and can amplify moves post‑release but are informational until the actual print. Curious about Merck (MRK) Q4 Performance? Explore Wall Street Estimates for Key Metrics
• Neutral Sentiment: Product watch: Zacks highlights non‑oncology drugs (Capvaxive, Winrevair) and Animal Health sales as Q4 catalysts — positive outcomes could extend the rally, but these remain ahead of confirmation. Merck’s Non-Oncology Drugs Q4 Performance: What to Expect
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor interest: Zacks notes MRK is a trending/most‑searched stock, which raises volume and volatility but doesn’t by itself change fundamentals. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage: Zacks and other outlets summarize broker commentary and ratings; AmericanBankingNews reports an average “Hold” from brokerages — a neutral consensus that can cap upside unless upgraded. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: Execution risk / near‑term earnings: recent EPS dynamics and any miss versus Wall Street (covered in previews) are the main near‑term downside risk — a weaker Q4 print or guidance could reverse the recent rally. Brokers Suggest Investing in Merck (MRK): Read This Before Placing a Bet

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.