Townsquare Capital LLC Has $1.76 Million Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Townsquare Capital LLC cut its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 38.1% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 16,758 shares of the company’s stock after selling 10,306 shares during the quarter. Townsquare Capital LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $1,764,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the business. Kingdom Financial Group LLC. acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. High Note Wealth LLC boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 58.9% during the fourth quarter. High Note Wealth LLC now owns 294 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Tucker Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at about $34,000. Entrust Financial LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the fourth quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, United Financial Planning Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the third quarter valued at about $31,000. 76.07% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $150.00 to $145.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Citigroup began coverage on Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, May 6th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings downgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research upgraded Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective 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 assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $128.18.

Key Headlines Impacting Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo reiterated its Buy rating on Merck, adding to the recent analyst support around the stock and reinforcing confidence in the company’s long-term outlook. Wells Fargo Keeps Their Buy Rating on Merck & Company (MRK)
• Positive Sentiment: Merck and Gilead reported positive Phase III HIV data for their once-weekly islatravir/lenacapavir regimen, which could expand Merck’s infectious-disease franchise if regulatory filings proceed as planned. Gilead, Merck Report Positive Phase III HIV Study Data, End NSCLC Study
• Positive Sentiment: Merck said it is expanding its EU digital traceability efforts and exploring options to help address the emerging Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, highlighting new commercial and public-health initiatives. Merck Expands EU Traceability Push And Targets Bundibugyo Ebola Response
• Positive Sentiment: Technical coverage noted that MRK has moved back above its 50-day moving average while staying above its 200-day trendline, with Keytruda growth and pipeline progress supporting the investment case. Merck Stock Moves Above 50-Day SMA: Assessing Its Investment Case
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck was highlighted in research roundups and conference coverage, but these items were mainly recap-oriented and did not introduce a major new catalyst. Top Research Reports for Merck, Southern Company & Lumentum Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Presents at Goldman Sachs 47th Annual Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Merck and Gilead also ended a Phase III non-small-cell lung cancer study after it failed to meet its efficacy bar, which may temper enthusiasm around some of Merck’s oncology pipeline efforts. Will HIV Win and Lung Cancer Loss in Trials Recast Merck’s (MRK) Risk Reward Narrative?

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $118.99 on Thursday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $116.58 and its 200 day moving average is $113.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 1.06. The firm has a market cap of $293.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.52, a P/E/G ratio of 2.69 and a beta of 0.21. Merck & Co., Inc. has a one year low of $76.66 and a one year high of $125.14.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. The company had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.85 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 27.55% and a net margin of 13.59%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 EPS for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be paid a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.9%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is currently 95.77%.

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.