5,342 Shares in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK Acquired by Ponta Wealth Partners LLC

Ponta Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 5,342 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $562,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. D.A. Davidson & CO. raised its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 4.4% during the 4th quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 576,959 shares of the company’s stock valued at $60,731,000 after purchasing an additional 24,576 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 48.9% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 97,818 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,296,000 after purchasing an additional 32,114 shares during the period. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 12.7% in the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 123,366 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,364,000 after purchasing an additional 13,940 shares during the period. Campbell Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $1,866,000. Finally, NEOS Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 39.9% during the 3rd quarter. NEOS Investment Management LLC now owns 347,684 shares of the company’s stock valued at $29,181,000 after buying an additional 99,074 shares in the last quarter. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 0.3%

MRK stock opened at $113.53 on Thursday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $117.31 and a 200 day moving average price of $108.12. Merck & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $73.31 and a fifty-two week high of $125.14. The firm has a market cap of $280.39 billion, a PE ratio of 31.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.24 and a beta of 0.18. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.30.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 company had revenue of $16.29 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.22 earnings per share. Merck & Co., Inc.’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. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In related news, insider Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen sold 15,000 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $121.87, for a total value of $1,828,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 21,197 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,583,278.39. This trade represents a 41.44% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 37,685 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.92, for a total value of $4,556,870.20. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 160,174 shares in the company, valued at $19,368,240.08. The trade was a 19.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 189,258 shares of company stock worth $22,663,993. 0.17% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Guggenheim boosted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $122.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price for the company in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Cantor Fitzgerald boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $116.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $142.00 price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a report on Monday, March 30th. Finally, UBS Group raised their price objective on Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. One equities research 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $128.18.

Merck & Co., Inc. News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst lifts Merck price target after Q1 beat — a recent note raised the target following Merck’s better-than-expected Q1 results, reinforcing upside potential and supporting investor sentiment. Analyst Raises Merck (MRK) Price Target by $1 After Beating Q1 Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: BMO Capital reiterates Buy — institutional support from BMO keeps conviction in Merck’s growth and pipeline prospects, which can bolster demand for the stock. BMO Capital Remains a Buy on Merck & Company (MRK)
• Positive Sentiment: Merck completes acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals — closing Terns adds oncology assets and near-term R&D value that could lift future revenue if assets progress. Merck Completes Acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory boost for Terns’ candidate — MSD/ Merck’s TERN-701 received FDA breakthrough therapy designation for Ph+ CML (non-T315I), enhancing the strategic value of the acquired pipeline. MSD concludes Terns acquisition to expand CML pipeline
• Neutral Sentiment: New coverage from Citigroup is Neutral with a $125 target — adds a fresh perspective but the rating is not bullish, leaving room for mixed investor reactions. Citigroup coverage note (summary)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst pieces highlight valuation debate after a pullback — some outlets argue Merck remains attractive on Keytruda growth and pipeline, while others point to conflicting valuation signals that could limit near-term gains. Is Merck (MRK) Still Attractive After Recent Pullback And Conflicting Valuation Signals
• Negative Sentiment: Shares slipped after the earnings report despite the beat — the market reaction suggests investors are cautious about near-term headwinds or valuation, which can pressure the stock in the short term. Merck Stock Looks Undervalued as KEYTRUDA Growth and Pipeline Offset Near-Term Headwinds

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.