Ramsay Stattman Vela & Price Inc. Sells 4,428 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

Ramsay Stattman Vela & Price Inc. decreased its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 19.6% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 18,181 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,428 shares during the quarter. Ramsay Stattman Vela & Price Inc.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $1,526,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in MRK. Brighton Jones LLC boosted its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.5% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 38,278 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,808,000 after purchasing an additional 8,710 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 52.2% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 11,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $910,000 after buying an additional 3,941 shares in the last quarter. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 9.3% during the second quarter. Wealthcare Advisory Partners LLC now owns 36,582 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,896,000 after buying an additional 3,111 shares during the period. Grimes & Company Inc. boosted its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 16.8% during the 2nd quarter. Grimes & Company Inc. now owns 24,192 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,915,000 after acquiring an additional 3,483 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Chung Wu Investment Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter valued at $45,000. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat — Merck reported Q4 EPS and revenue that topped estimates, driven largely by strong sales of Keytruda and recent product momentum; this supports near-term growth credibility. Merck (MRK) Q4 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Management commentary/earnings call — the earnings call transcript provides detail on pipeline progress and where management expects margin and revenue pressure to land in 2026; useful for gauging whether disappointing guidance is temporary or structural. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Index/fund positioning — analysis of Merck’s role in S&P 500 funds and broader pharma exposure may influence flows but is less likely to move the stock materially than earnings/guidance. Does Merck & Co. (NYSE:MRK) Maintain Pharma Reach In S&P 500 Fund
• Negative Sentiment: Weak 2026 guidance — Merck guided 2026 revenue to $65.5–$67.0B and adjusted EPS to $5.00–$5.15, both below analyst expectations; management flagged revenue pressure from impending patent expirations (e.g., Januvia) and generic competition. That guidance cut is the primary reason the stock initially sold off. Merck forecasts 2026 sales below estimates on patent losses
• Negative Sentiment: Slower earnings growth expected as Merck increases acquisition and investment spending — coverage highlights that deal activity and near-term margin impacts may slow EPS growth even as the company pursues pipeline and strategic additions. Merck Expects Slower Earnings Growth As It Spends on Acquisitions
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and commentary — multiple outlets note the stock dipped after the cautious outlook despite solid Q4 results; analysts and commentators are parsing how much patent losses and 2026 investments will offset Keytruda strength. Merck shares fall as 2026 guidance disappoints despite solid Q4 results

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Performance

MRK opened at $115.87 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $287.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.60 and a beta of 0.28. The company has a quick ratio of 1.44, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $105.66 and its 200-day moving average price is $92.48. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52-week low of $73.31 and a 52-week high of $118.46.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.01 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $16.40 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.19 billion. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 29.63% and a return on equity of 44.54%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.72 EPS. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 5.000-5.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.9%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is 44.91%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on MRK. TD Cowen upped their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $100.00 to $102.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $110.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 18th. Finally, Zacks Research lowered shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $114.53.

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.