TCW Group Inc. Sells 16,921 Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

TCW Group Inc. cut its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 2.0% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 845,538 shares of the company’s stock after selling 16,921 shares during the quarter. TCW Group Inc.’s holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $108,652,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. BIP Wealth LLC lifted its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 29.0% during the second quarter. BIP Wealth LLC now owns 6,615 shares of the company’s stock valued at $850,000 after purchasing an additional 1,486 shares during the last quarter. Phillips Financial Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 5.8% in the 2nd quarter. Phillips Financial Management LLC now owns 1,943 shares of the company’s stock worth $250,000 after buying an additional 107 shares during the last quarter. SWS Partners raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 5.3% during the 2nd quarter. SWS Partners now owns 20,508 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,652,000 after buying an additional 1,027 shares in the last quarter. Elyxium Wealth LLC raised its position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 55.6% during the 2nd quarter. Elyxium Wealth LLC now owns 7,919 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,018,000 after buying an additional 2,829 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stack Financial Management Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Stack Financial Management Inc now owns 212,862 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,353,000 after acquiring an additional 3,215 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.07% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 1.9%

Shares of MRK opened at $149.25 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $368.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 119.40, a P/E/G ratio of 6.56 and a beta of 0.19. Merck & Co., Inc. has a 12-month low of $77.58 and a 12-month high of $153.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.32, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $127.43 and a 200-day moving average price of $121.01.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported ($0.13) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.26) by $0.13. Merck & Co., Inc. had a net margin of 4.77% and a return on equity of 16.73%. The company had revenue of $16.61 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.37 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $2.13 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 5.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Merck & Co., Inc. has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.660-2.760 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 2.77 earnings per share for the current year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, October 7th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be given a dividend of $0.85 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, September 15th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 272.00%.

Key Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck and Moderna reported that their individualized mRNA vaccine, used with Merck’s Keytruda, met the Phase 3 primary endpoint in high-risk melanoma. The combination improved recurrence-free survival and distant-metastasis-free survival compared with Keytruda alone, marking the first positive late-stage result for an mRNA cancer vaccine. The result could expand Merck’s oncology pipeline and help address the eventual loss of Keytruda exclusivity. Merck, Moderna say melanoma skin cancer vaccine meets goals in large trial
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley upgraded MRK to overweight and raised its price target to $179 from $116, while UBS lifted its target to $175 and BMO raised its target to $170, reflecting increased confidence in the cancer-vaccine opportunity and Merck’s broader growth prospects. Merck upgraded at Morgan Stanley after cancer trial win; RBC downgrades
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts cautioned that the initial results are not a complete regulatory or commercial victory. Full data, regulatory approval expected no earlier than 2027, manufacturing execution and the therapy’s eventual pricing and market adoption remain key uncertainties. Moderna’s Cancer Vaccine: Are Investors Putting The Cart Before The Horse?
• Negative Sentiment: RBC downgraded MRK to sector perform and set a $150 target, arguing that the roughly $150 valuation is unusually demanding for a company facing a major Keytruda loss of exclusivity in about two years. Jefferies also moved the stock to hold, creating a valuation overhang despite the trial success. Merck’s Cancer-Vaccine Trial Results Surpassed Expectations – So, Why Did RBC Downgrade MRK Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Broader healthcare weakness and profit-taking after Merck’s sharp rally are adding pressure, while the stock’s elevated valuation leaves less room for disappointment. Sector Update: Healthcare Stocks Fall Thursday Afternoon

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on MRK shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Guggenheim lifted their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $145.00 to $146.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday. Argus lifted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $142.10.

Insider Activity

In related news, EVP David R. Maraldo sold 18,706 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $128.72, for a total value of $2,407,836.32. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 18,212 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,344,248.64. The trade was a 50.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, EVP Richard R. Deluca sold 11,699 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $131.63, for a total value of $1,539,939.37. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 110,167 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,501,282.21. This trade represents a 9.60% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 228,238 shares of company stock valued at $29,977,783. Insiders own 0.17% of the company’s stock.

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.