Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKKGY) Shares Shorted: Short Interest Up 1,031.1% in September

Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKKGY) saw a significant increase in short interest during the month of September. As of September 30th, there was short interest totaling 39,149 shares, an increase of 1,031.1% from the September 15th total of 3,461 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 131,328 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 0.3 days. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Merck KGaA Stock Performance

OTCMKTS MKKGY traded up $0.28 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $31.06. 136,237 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 157,301. The company has a market capitalization of $20.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.01, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.69. The business’s 50 day moving average is $31.60 and its 200-day moving average is $30.09. Merck KGaA has a 1 year low of $23.73 and a 1 year high of $34.19.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. UBS Group downgraded Merck KGaA from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 20th. HSBC raised Merck KGaA to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Merck KGaA from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

About Merck KGaA

Merck KGaA is a Germany-based science and technology company headquartered in Darmstadt. Founded in 1668, it is one of the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical businesses. The company operates independently from Merck & Co, Inc, the U.S.-based company that uses the Merck name in the United States and Canada.

Merck KGaA operates through three primary business sectors: Life Science, Healthcare and Electronics. Its Life Science business supplies laboratory products, research tools, analytical technologies and bioprocessing solutions used by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions and industrial laboratories.