Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. Reduces Stake in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd. decreased its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 10.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 142,493 shares of the company’s stock after selling 16,364 shares during the period. Tokio Marine Asset Management Co. Ltd.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $14,999,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 237.4% during the 3rd quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC now owns 307 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 216 shares in the last quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 302.3% in the 3rd quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 354 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 266 shares in the last quarter. United Financial Planning Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Wealth Watch Advisors INC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at about $34,000. Finally, Deane Retirement Strategies Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 3rd quarter valued at about $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: European Commission approves Merck’s ENFLONSIA (clesrovimab) for prevention of RSV lower respiratory tract disease in infants, giving Merck a new EU commercial opportunity in a pediatric respiratory market. European Commission Approves Merck’s ENFLONSIA
• Positive Sentiment: U.S. FDA grants Priority Review for ifinatamab deruxtecan (co-developed with Daiichi Sankyo) for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer — a potential first-in-class B7-H3 therapy that could materially expand Merck’s oncology franchise if approved. Merck’s Priority Review Cancer Drug Adds To Undervalued Growth Story
• Positive Sentiment: UBS raises its price target on MRK to $145 (from $130) and reiterates a Buy rating, signaling stronger analyst confidence that supports near-term upside and investor sentiment. UBS Raises Merck (MRK) Price Forecast as Part of Sector Preview
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader healthcare sector strength is lifting MRK along with peers today, as the NYSE Health Care Index trades higher — a tailwind but not company-specific. Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Higher Friday Afternoon
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry write-ups and trade ideas (comparisons to Novartis, bullish options strategies) are increasing attention on MRK; these pieces can drive retail interest but are less likely to change fundamentals immediately. Better Pharma Dividend Stock: Novartis vs. Merck

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 3.1%

MRK opened at $118.99 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $293.90 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.35, a P/E/G ratio of 2.32 and a beta of 0.26. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $119.12 and its 200-day moving average price is $106.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12 month low of $73.31 and a 12 month high of $125.14.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.01 by $0.03. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 44.57% and a net margin of 28.08%.The firm had revenue of $16.40 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.72 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000-5.150 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Investors of record on Monday, March 16th were given a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 16th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.70%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Merck & Co., Inc.

In related news, CFO Caroline Litchfield sold 41,997 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.61, for a total transaction of $5,023,261.17. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 90,192 shares in the company, valued at $10,787,865.12. This trade represents a 31.77% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CMO Chirfi Guindo sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.88, for a total value of $2,437,600.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 80,615 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,825,356.20. The trade was a 19.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 320,176 shares of company stock worth $38,281,735 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.13% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $120.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, March 20th. Zacks Research raised Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $142.00 price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Monday, March 30th. 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 report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, April 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $128.47.

Merck & Co., Inc. Profile

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.