Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKGAF) Shares Gap Up – Should You Buy?

Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKGAF) gapped up before the market opened on Friday. The stock had previously closed at $149.71, but opened at $158.90. Merck KGaA shares last traded at $160.00, with a volume of 109 shares.

Merck KGaA Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $20.63 billion, a PE ratio of 24.37 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $161.35 and a 200 day moving average price of $151.18.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Merck KGaA

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of MKGAF. North Star Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Merck KGaA in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $1,411,000. MASTERINVEST Kapitalanlage GmbH purchased a new position in shares of Merck KGaA during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $4,896,000. Ames National Corp acquired a new position in shares of Merck KGaA during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,009,000. Elefante Mark B acquired a new stake in Merck KGaA during the 2nd quarter valued at $617,000. Finally, Pinnacle Holdings LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Merck KGaA in the second quarter valued at $1,487,000. 0.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merck KGaA Company Profile

Merck KGaA is a Germany-based science and technology company headquartered in Darmstadt. Founded in 1668, it is one of the world’s oldest operating pharmaceutical and chemical companies. Merck KGaA is separate from the U.S.-based Merck & Co, Inc, although the two companies share historical roots.

The company operates through three business sectors: Life Science, Healthcare and Electronics. Its Life Science business supplies laboratory products, research tools, chemicals and bioprocessing technologies used by pharmaceutical, biotechnology and academic customers.