Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.

Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A. trimmed its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 7.3% during the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 2,224,345 shares of the company’s stock after selling 174,489 shares during the quarter. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for about 0.9% of Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.’s holdings, making the stock its 20th largest position. Eurizon Capital SGR S.p.A.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $325,094,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of MRK. Bullseye Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the second quarter valued at $27,000. Curry Webb Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Horizons Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter worth about $30,000. Graney & King LLC grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 400.0% in the 2nd quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 250 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Montgomery Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter worth about $41,000. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

These are some of the MRK headlines that stood out recently:

• Positive Sentiment: Merck and Moderna plan to file their personalized cancer vaccine, intismeran, with Keytruda this year. The combination reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 42%, a potentially important growth opportunity if supported by upcoming data and regulatory review. Article: Merck’s Keytruda Combo Cut Melanoma Recurrence or Death Risk 42%. What the February 2 Report Has to Prove
• Positive Sentiment: Phase 2b results for efinopegdutide showed statistically significant MASH resolution without worsening fibrosis. The data add to investor optimism about Merck’s pipeline beyond Keytruda. Article: Merck (MRK) Could Be 7% Undervalued As MASH Trial Data Lifts Optimism
• Negative Sentiment: Merck is among drugmakers facing a looming patent cliff, which could pressure sales and helps explain the focus on dividend income and pipeline growth. Article: Americans Fill Prescriptions Every Month, and $90,000 Across These 3 Drugmakers Pays $3,650 a Year

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Down 0.1%

Shares of MRK opened at $146.98 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.35. The company has a market cap of $362.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 151.52, a PEG ratio of 6.75 and a beta of 0.13. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $146.25 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $128.41. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $90.90 and a 52-week high of $156.92.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 29th. The company reported $2.49 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.09 by $0.40. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 16.73% and a net margin of 3.64%. The company had revenue of $18.09 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $17.33 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.58 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on MRK shares. Zacks Research cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Argus initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Tuesday, November 3rd. They issued a “strong-buy” rating on the stock. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, October 12th. Daiwa Securities Group raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $143.00 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $179.00 to $177.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $155.74.

Merck & Co., Inc. Profile

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global pharmaceutical company that develops and markets prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal-health products. The company’s research and commercial activities span areas including oncology, infectious diseases, vaccines, cardiovascular disease and immunology. Its products include the cancer medicine Keytruda and the Gardasil vaccine. Founded in the United States in 1891, Merck & Co. became an independent company in 1917. It is headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, and operates internationally.