Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Stake Reduced by Townsquare Capital LLC

Townsquare Capital LLC reduced its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 82.1% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 27,064 shares of the company’s stock after selling 124,069 shares during the quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $2,271,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. DLD Asset Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the second quarter worth $2,889,340,000. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,858,570,000. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 23.5% during the 2nd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 27,032,601 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,139,901,000 after purchasing an additional 5,135,748 shares in the last quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 35.5% during the 2nd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 19,456,096 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,540,145,000 after purchasing an additional 5,094,088 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.4% during the second quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 53,865,466 shares of the company’s stock valued at $4,263,991,000 after buying an additional 4,636,183 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 8,614 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. 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 sale, the executive vice president owned 24,578 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,054,475.02. This trade represents a 25.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 1.3%

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $108.25 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $104.95 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $91.68. Merck & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $73.31 and a fifty-two week high of $112.90. The firm has a market cap of $268.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.44.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last issued its quarterly 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, analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 earnings per share for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Investors 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.1%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.91%.

Key Stories Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on MRK shares. Bank of America increased their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. TD Cowen lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Wolfe Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $90.00 to $125.00 in a report on Monday, November 24th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $114.53.

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.