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NYSE:MRK

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Price, News & Analysis

$125.76
-0.69 (-0.55%)
(As of 07/8/2024 ET)
Today's Range
$125.33
$127.46
50-Day Range
$123.80
$132.98
52-Week Range
$99.14
$134.63
Volume
5.74 million shs
Average Volume
9.86 million shs
Market Capitalization
$318.53 billion
P/E Ratio
139.73
Dividend Yield
2.45%
Price Target
$133.00

Merck & Co., Inc. MarketRank™ Stock Analysis

Analyst Rating
Moderate Buy
2.69 Rating Score
Upside/​Downside
5.8% Upside
$133.00 Price Target
Short Interest
Healthy
0.77% of Shares Sold Short
Dividend Strength
Strong
Based on Four Factors
Sustainability
-2.59
Upright™ Environmental Score
News Sentiment
1.35mentions of Merck & Co., Inc. in the last 14 days
Based on 12 Articles This Week
Insider Trading
N/A
Proj. Earnings Growth
15.08%
From $8.62 to $9.92 Per Share

Overall MarketRank

New Rank-Based ScoringMarketRank is calculated by averaging available category scores (with extra weight given to analysis and valuation), then ranking the company's weighted average against that of other companies.

4.65 out of 5 stars

Medical Sector

115th out of 876 stocks

Pharmaceutical Preparations Industry

39th out of 416 stocks

MRK stock logo

About Merck & Co., Inc. Stock (NYSE:MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. is a US-based multinational pharmaceutical and healthcare company. It was officially founded in 1891 as the US arm of Merck Group, headquartered in Germany. Merck Group was founded in 1668 when Friedrick Jacob Merck purchased a pharmacy in Darmstadt, Germany. The company transformed from a pharmacy into a drug manufacturer in 1827 with the commercialization of morphine and the perfection of the manufacturing process. The company will later gain recognition for isolating and commercializing the manufacture of cocaine as well.

Merck Group sent Theodore Weicker to New York as its representative in 1889 and he quickly began to set up operations. The original investment of $200,000 resulted in a facility in lower Manhattan and the addition of Merck family member George Merck to the project. They began operations in 1891 and were in business as the US branch of Merck Group until 1917 and the onset of World War I.

World War I brought about the Trading With The Enemy Act of 1917 and the nationalization of Merck Group’s US operations. Those operations were repurchased at a government auction only 2 years later with the help of Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers, but the split was done. The company retained rights to the Merck name in the US but remained independent. One of many noteworthy achievements in the post-War period is the discovery of streptomycin, which was revolutionary in treating tuberculosis.

In 1953 the company merged with Sharp& Dohme to form the then 2nd largest US drug manufacturer. The merger brought smallpox vaccines to the portfolio and opened a new avenue of research for the business. Since then, advancements in vaccine technology include treatments for mumps and chickenpox. Other notable advancements include the discovery of statins as a cholesterol inhibitor and work in veterinary medicine.

Today, Merck & Co operates through 2 segments and under 2 different names with a headquarters in Kenilworth, NJ.  The company operates as Merck & Co in the US and as Merck Sharp & Dohme outside the US and Canada. The 2 segments are Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. Revenue topped $49 billion in 2022 and employed more than 68,000 people. The company has 8 research facilities near major university systems, including 7 in the US and 1 in the UK. As of 2022, the company had 82 pipeline products in Phase 2 trials, 30 in Phase 3 trials and 3 under review.

The Pharmaceutical segment researches discover and commercializes human health products in several areas of medicine. These include but are not limited to oncology, acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes. This segment has 6 blockbuster drugs as of late 2022, with each generating more than $1 billion in revenue. The leading treatments are Keytruda for treating cancer-related immune conditions, Gardisil which is a vaccine for HPV and Januvia for treating Type-II diabetes. The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary healthcare products and services. Both segments sell to healthcare facilities and distributors.

MRK Stock Price History

MRK Stock News Headlines

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Company Calendar

Last Earnings
4/25/2024
Ex-Dividend for 7/8 Dividend
6/17/2024
Dividend Payable
7/08/2024
Today
7/09/2024
Next Earnings (Confirmed)
7/30/2024
Fiscal Year End
12/31/2024

Industry, Sector and Symbol

Sector
Medical
Industry
Pharmaceutical preparations
Sub-Industry
Pharmaceuticals
CUSIP
58933Y10
Employees
72,000
Year Founded
1891

Price Target and Rating

Average Stock Price Target
$133.00
High Stock Price Target
$155.00
Low Stock Price Target
$104.00
Potential Upside/Downside
+5.8%
Consensus Rating
Moderate Buy
Rating Score (0-4)
2.69
Research Coverage
13 Analysts

Profitability

Net Income
$365 million
Pretax Margin
6.37%

Debt

Sales & Book Value

Annual Sales
$60.12 billion
Cash Flow
$3.03 per share
Book Value
$14.85 per share

Miscellaneous

Outstanding Shares
2,532,810,000
Free Float
2,530,526,000
Market Cap
$318.53 billion
Optionable
Optionable
Beta
0.38

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Should I Buy Merck & Co., Inc. Stock? MRK Pros and Cons Explained

Pros

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Merck:

  • Merck & Co., Inc. has shown consistent revenue growth over recent quarters, indicating a strong financial performance.
  • Merck's dividend yield of 2.32% provides investors with a steady income stream, offering a potential source of passive income.
  • Recent positive analyst ratings, including a "strong-buy" rating from Argus, suggest a favorable outlook for the company's stock.
  • Merck's current stock price of $123.80 presents a potential buying opportunity for investors looking to enter the market at a lower price point.
  • The company's diverse portfolio of pharmaceutical products and ongoing research and development efforts position it well for future growth and innovation.

Cons

Investors should be bearish about investing in Merck for these reasons:

  • Merck & Co., Inc.'s high price-to-earnings ratio of 147.73 may indicate an overvalued stock, potentially limiting future capital appreciation.
  • The company's debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77 suggests a moderate level of financial leverage, which could pose risks during economic downturns.
  • Some analysts have expressed concerns about Merck's growth potential, citing a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.53 that may signal limited future earnings growth.
  • Market volatility and regulatory challenges in the pharmaceutical industry could impact Merck's stock performance and overall profitability.
  • Investors should consider the competitive landscape and potential market disruptions that could affect Merck's market share and revenue streams.
These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Sunday, July 7, 2024. Please send any questions or comments about these Merck & Co., Inc. pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

MRK Stock Analysis - Frequently Asked Questions

How have MRK shares performed this year?

Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock was trading at $109.02 at the start of the year. Since then, MRK stock has increased by 15.4% and is now trading at $125.76.
View the best growth stocks for 2024 here
.

How were Merck & Co., Inc.'s earnings last quarter?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April, 25th. The company reported $2.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.94 by $0.13. The business's revenue was up 8.9% on a year-over-year basis.
Read the conference call transcript
.

What is Kenneth C. Frazier's approval rating as Merck & Co., Inc.'s CEO?

1,343 employees have rated Merck & Co., Inc. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth C. Frazier on Glassdoor.com. Kenneth C. Frazier has an approval rating of 94% among the company's employees. This puts Kenneth C. Frazier in the top 30% of approval ratings compared to other CEOs of publicly-traded companies.

Who are Merck & Co., Inc.'s major shareholders?

Top institutional shareholders of Merck & Co., Inc. include DNB Asset Management AS (0.03%), Douglas Lane & Associates LLC (0.02%), Transcend Capital Advisors LLC (0.01%) and Boston Common Asset Management LLC (0.01%). Insiders that own company stock include Kenneth C Frazier, Robert M Davis, Richard R Deluca, Rita A Karachun, Steven Mizell, Joseph Romanelli, Johannes Jacobus Oosthuizen, Sanat Chattopadhyay, Caroline Litchfield and Frank Clyburn.
View institutional ownership trends
.

How do I buy shares of Merck & Co., Inc.?

Shares of MRK stock can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include Charles Schwab, E*TRADE, Fidelity, and Vanguard Brokerage Services.
Compare Top Brokerages Here.

What other stocks do shareholders of Merck & Co., Inc. own?

Based on aggregate information from My MarketBeat watchlists, some other companies that Merck & Co., Inc. investors own include Pfizer (PFE), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), AT&T (T), Intel (INTC), Cisco Systems (CSCO), Walt Disney (DIS) and Verizon Communications (VZ).

This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 7/9/2024 by MarketBeat.com Staff

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