Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Stock Sold by Russell Investments Group Ltd.

Russell Investments Group Ltd. trimmed its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 16.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 2,165,166 shares of the company’s stock after selling 412,858 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $316,401,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of MRK. Curry Webb Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. Horizons Wealth Management purchased a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the third quarter worth $30,000. Bullseye Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the second quarter worth $27,000. Graney & King LLC raised its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 400.0% in the second quarter. Graney & King LLC now owns 250 shares of the company’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Foresight Capital Management Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the third quarter worth $43,000. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MRK has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wolfe Research upped their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $155.00 to $180.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 25th. Sanford C. Bernstein lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $140.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. DZ Bank downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $153.00 target price for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, November 3rd. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, October 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $155.74.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE MRK opened at $146.98 on Friday. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1 year low of $90.90 and a 1 year high of $156.92. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $146.25 and its 200 day moving average price is $128.41. The firm has a market cap of $362.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 151.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 6.75 and a beta of 0.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.35.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released 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. The firm had revenue of $18.09 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $17.33 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 3.64% and a return on equity of 16.73%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.58 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Latest Merck & Co., Inc. News

Investors following MRK have been watching these news items:

• 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
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck is scheduled to participate in the Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference in London. The appearance could provide investors with updates, but the announcement itself gives no new financial or clinical information. Article: Merck to Participate in the Jefferies Global Healthcare Conference in London
• Negative Sentiment: Potential U.S. drug-price negotiations are a longer-term risk for Merck, with the article describing the company as facing a bigger test in coming years. Article: EXCLUSIVE: Lilly, Gilead Face Near-Term Drug Pricing Risks As Washington Turns Up Heat

Merck & Co., Inc. Company 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.