Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) has seen its price target adjusted downward by Morgan Stanley from $99.00 to $98.00, according to a research report published on Thursday morning. Morgan Stanley maintains an “equal weight” rating on the stock, indicating a neutral outlook among analysts.
In addition to Morgan Stanley’s revision, various other investment firms have also updated their ratings for Merck. On April 17, Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating with a target price of $115.00. Conversely, Cantor Fitzgerald lowered its stance from “overweight” to “cautious” in a report issued on May 20. Likewise, Citigroup adjusted its price target down to $84.00, down from $115.00, while maintaining a “neutral” rating as of May 14. Additionally, Wall Street Zen downgraded the stock from “strong-buy” to “buy” on April 25.
Overall, the consensus among analysts reflects a mix of sentiments towards Merck’s performance. As of now, one analyst has issued a sell rating, twelve have recommended holding the stock, seven have given it a buy rating, and two have assigned a strong buy rating. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Merck currently holds an average rating of “Hold” with a consensus price target of $108.69.
Recent Financial Performance
Merck & Co. reported its quarterly earnings on April 24, revealing an earnings per share (EPS) of $2.22, surpassing analysts’ expectations of $2.16 by $0.06. The company achieved a return on equity of 43.23% and a net margin of 27.27%. Revenue for the quarter reached $15.53 billion, slightly below the consensus estimate of $15.59 billion. Notably, revenue declined by 1.6% compared to the same period last year, when the EPS was $2.07. Analysts project that Merck will post an EPS of $9.01 for the current fiscal year.
Merck also declared its quarterly dividend, which was paid on July 8. Shareholders of record as of June 16 received a dividend of $0.81, translating to an annualized dividend of $3.24 and a yield of 3.85%. The company’s current payout ratio stands at 47.16%.
Insider Trading and Institutional Holdings
In recent insider trading activity, Dalton E. Smart III, Senior Vice President at Merck, sold 4,262 shares on April 25 for an average price of $82.76, totaling approximately $352,723.12. Following this transaction, Smart holds 7,778 shares valued at around $643,707.28, marking a 35.40% reduction in his ownership of the stock. This sale was duly reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Institutional investors continue to hold a significant portion of Merck’s stock, with approximately 76.07% of shares owned by such entities. Recently, Kingstone Capital Partners Texas LLC acquired a new stake valued at around $258.27 million. Additionally, IFM Investors Pty Ltd increased its holdings by 4.0%, now owning 504,465 shares worth $39.93 million. Other firms, such as Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group and Stolper Co, also adjusted their stakes in Merck during the second quarter.
Merck & Co., Inc. is a healthcare company engaged in providing various health solutions, including prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care products. The company operates through segments such as Pharmaceuticals, Animal Health, and Other, serving a global client base.
As analysts continue to evaluate Merck’s performance and outlook, the company remains a focal point for investors in the healthcare sector.
