Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Shares Sold by Redwood Grove Capital LLC

Redwood Grove Capital LLC decreased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 78.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 30,068 shares of the company’s stock after selling 109,600 shares during the period. Merck & Co., Inc. accounts for approximately 1.2% of Redwood Grove Capital LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest holding. Redwood Grove Capital LLC’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $3,617,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

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

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.8%

Shares of NYSE:MRK opened at $131.85 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.06 and a current ratio of 1.30. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 1 year low of $76.66 and a 1 year high of $135.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $325.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.14, a PEG ratio of 5.19 and a beta of 0.19. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $122.39 and a 200-day simple moving average of $118.10.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 13.59% and a return on equity of 27.55%. The firm had revenue of $16.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.22 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.040-5.160 EPS. Equities analysts forecast that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 15th were given a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 15th. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.6%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio is presently 95.77%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MRK has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. CICC Research started coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $138.00 target price for the company. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $141.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $136.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “sector outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have issued a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $133.94.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck reported that KEYTRUDA met the primary progression-free-survival endpoint in the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-C93 trial for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. The result represents a statistically significant benefit over platinum chemotherapy and could support future regulatory filings, strengthening the company’s oncology pipeline. Merck Says KEYTRUDA Beat Chemotherapy in Phase 3 Endometrial Cancer Trial
• Positive Sentiment: Merck is expanding its growth opportunities beyond KEYTRUDA. A royalty-free licensing agreement will enable generic HIV-prevention treatment supply across 129 low- and middle-income countries, while U.S. approval of LIPFENDRA, described as the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor for LDL reduction, broadens its cardiovascular portfolio. Merck Expands HIV PrEP Access and Launches Oral Cholesterol Drug
• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo maintained its Buy rating on MRK, signaling continued confidence in the company’s outlook despite near-term earnings pressure. Wells Fargo Sticks to Its Buy Rating for Merck
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage firms collectively assigned Merck an average “Moderate Buy” rating, indicating constructive sentiment but not a unanimous expectation of strong upside. Merck Given Average Moderate Buy Rating by Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts expect Merck’s upcoming second-quarter earnings to decline, and previews indicate the company may lack the earnings and revenue momentum typically associated with a likely consensus beat. This could limit near-term gains ahead of the report. Merck Q2 Earnings Expected to Decline

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.