Centaurus Financial Inc. Sells 19,825 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Centaurus Financial Inc. lowered its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 62.5% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 11,874 shares of the company’s stock after selling 19,825 shares during the quarter. Centaurus Financial Inc.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $1,428,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,808,000 after purchasing an additional 8,710 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% during the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $910,000 after acquiring an additional 3,941 shares in the last quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 94.1% during the second quarter. Diversify Advisory Services LLC now owns 32,256 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,590,000 after acquiring an additional 15,636 shares in the last quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 22.2% in the second quarter. Diversify Wealth Management LLC now owns 38,031 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,054,000 after acquiring an additional 6,897 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 111.7% in the second quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 681,128 shares of the company’s stock valued at $53,918,000 after acquiring an additional 359,356 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Shares of NYSE MRK opened at $130.49 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $322.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.15 and a beta of 0.19. The business’s 50 day moving average is $123.17 and its 200-day moving average is $118.46. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1-year low of $77.53 and a 1-year high of $135.05.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The business had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.22 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.74 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 Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 95.77%.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s launch of subcutaneous Keytruda, known as Qlex, and other lifecycle extensions could preserve the drug’s commercial momentum and support exclusivity through 2039. Recent regulatory approvals, pipeline progress and the acquisitions of Terns and Cidara also broaden the company’s oncology and virology prospects. Merck: Heading Into Q2 Earnings, The Keytruda Cliff Looks Increasingly Less Steep
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst estimates have improved, including Erste Group’s modest increase in its FY2027 EPS forecast to $9.54 from $9.52. Barclays has also forecast strong potential appreciation for MRK, reinforcing the constructive sentiment around the shares. Barclays Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Merck & Co., Inc. Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Merck declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share, payable October 7 to shareholders of record September 15. The dividend provides ongoing income support, with a reported annualized yield of about 2.6%.
• Neutral Sentiment: MRK is scheduled to release second-quarter 2026 results before the market opens on August 4. Consensus calls for approximately $16.33 billion in sales and a loss of $0.26 per share, with acquisition costs likely affecting reported earnings. Investors will watch Keytruda demand, Gardasil performance and management’s outlook. Should You Buy, Sell or Hold Merck Stock Ahead of Q2 Earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck and Wellcome’s Hilleman Laboratories are preparing an experimental Ebola vaccine for clinical trials. The initiative supports Merck’s public-health profile but is unlikely to materially affect near-term financial results. Merck, Wellcome Partner With Global Health Group to Make Ebola Vaccine for Clinical Trials
• Negative Sentiment: After a roughly 17% rally since its latest quarterly results, MRK may already reflect much of the favorable Keytruda and pipeline news. Analysts characterize its longer-term valuation as justified rather than clearly inexpensive, while Gardasil weakness and the approaching earnings event remain risks. Merck Stock Looks Cheap on Cash Flow but Fair on Earnings

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $142.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings cut Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $120.00 price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $134.50.

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.