PBU The Pension Fund of Early Childhood & Youth Educators Takes Position in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

PBU The Pension Fund of Early Childhood & Youth Educators purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund purchased 142,022 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $14,949,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 254,322,763 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,770,014,000 after acquiring an additional 2,185,853 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 60,047,984 shares of the company’s stock worth $6,307,572,000 after buying an additional 249,110 shares during the period. DLD Asset Management LP increased its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 30.1% during the 3rd quarter. DLD Asset Management LP now owns 47,500,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,986,675,000 after buying an additional 11,000,000 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,997,933,000. Finally, Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 24,873,327 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,618,166,000 after buying an additional 805,201 shares during the period. 76.07% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Merck & Co., Inc. Trading Up 0.7%

NYSE MRK opened at $121.05 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.06, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.02. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 52 week low of $76.66 and a 52 week high of $125.14. The stock has a market capitalization of $298.96 billion, a PE ratio of 34.10, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.70 and a beta of 0.21. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $116.55 and a two-hundred day moving average of $112.39.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported ($1.28) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.85 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.22 EPS. The firm’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. As a group, research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 5.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.85 per share. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. Merck & Co., Inc.’s payout ratio is 95.77%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MRK has been the topic of several recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 13th. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, April 6th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $142.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Monday, March 30th. Finally, Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Wednesday, May 6th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $125.00 target price on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $128.18.

Trending Headlines about Merck & Co., Inc.

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck reached a settlement of more than $50 million to resolve over 200 Gardasil-related lawsuits, removing a significant legal overhang and helping investors refocus on the company’s core business and pipeline. Merck Gardasil Settlement Eases Legal Overhang And Refocuses Investor Attention
• Positive Sentiment: Merck recently broke above both its 20-day and 50-day moving averages, a technical signal that traders often view as a sign of improving short-term momentum. Merck (MRK) Recently Broke Out Above the 20-Day Moving Average
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s oncology franchise continues to draw attention after ASCO 2026 updates highlighted Keytruda’s strength in solid tumors and other pipeline assets aimed at offsetting future exclusivity pressure. ASCO26: Solid tumour data readouts outline Merck & Co’s oncology prowess
• Positive Sentiment: Merck’s collaboration with Moderna on a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine also got a boost from positive long-term data disclosed by Moderna, reinforcing investor interest in the partnership. Why Is Moderna (MRNA) Stock Rocketing Higher Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Merck’s conference appearance and oncology strategy update likely kept investor focus on the pipeline, but the items available do not indicate a major new catalyst beyond ongoing progress. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Discusses Oncology Strategy and Program Update With Focus on Clinical Progress and Pipeline Diversification – Slideshow

Merck & Co., Inc. Company 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.