Great Lakes Advisors LLC Trims Holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. $MRK

by · The Markets Daily

Great Lakes Advisors LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Free Report) by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,637,843 shares of the company’s stock after selling 17,692 shares during the period. Merck & Co., Inc. makes up 1.1% of Great Lakes Advisors LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. Great Lakes Advisors LLC owned about 0.07% of Merck & Co., Inc. worth $137,465,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Darwin Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 237.4% during the third quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC now owns 307 shares of the company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Kilter Group LLC purchased a new stake in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Bare Financial Services Inc lifted its position in Merck & Co., Inc. by 51.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 366 shares of the company’s stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the period. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 302.3% in the 3rd quarter. Barnes Dennig Private Wealth Management LLC now owns 354 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 76.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Merck & Co., Inc. News

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

  • Positive Sentiment: Merck’s multi-month rally: MERK has climbed ~41% over the past six months as profits have bumped up and investor confidence returned, providing a positive backdrop for the stock. What’s Fueling The Rally In Merck Stock?
  • Positive Sentiment: Dividend boost: Merck declared a $0.85 quarterly dividend (annualized yield ~3.2%), with an ex‑dividend/record date in mid‑March and payment in April — supports income investors and can underpin the share price. Merck Announces Second-Quarter 2026 Dividend
  • Positive Sentiment: Analyst target lift: Citigroup raised its price target to $115 (still a “neutral” rating), signaling modest upside in analyst models and helping sentiment. Benzinga report on Citigroup
  • Positive Sentiment: Broker interest: Recent coverage pieces note that sell‑side recommendations are encouraging investors to revisit MRK, which can drive buying momentum when multiple brokers are constructive. Brokers Suggest Investing in Merck (MRK)
  • Neutral Sentiment: Product/portfolio watch: Investors are shifting attention beyond Keytruda to new non‑oncology launches (Capvaxive, Winrevair) and Animal Health sales — these could drive future growth but are still early-stage drivers. Merck’s Non-Oncology Drugs Q4 Performance
  • Neutral Sentiment: Quality vs. visibility: TD Cowen (covered in recent media) praises Merck’s quality but flags that growth visibility matters — a cautious note that tempers bullish narratives. Merck’s quality is clear, but growth visibility matters
  • Negative Sentiment: Earnings uncertainty: Wall Street previews suggest Merck may lack the right setup for an earnings beat next week, and recent quarterly results showed an EPS miss — a near‑term headwind that likely explains downward pressure on the stock. Merck (MRK) Earnings Expected to Grow

Merck & Co., Inc. Price Performance

Merck & Co., Inc. stock opened at $106.94 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $265.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.37 and a beta of 0.29. Merck & Co., Inc. has a one year low of $73.31 and a one year high of $112.90. The business has a fifty day moving average of $104.69 and a two-hundred day moving average of $91.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a current ratio of 1.66.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The company reported $1.94 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.08 by ($0.14). Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 44.54% and a net margin of 29.63%. As a group, analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 9.01 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 7th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 16th will be issued a $0.85 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 16th. This represents a $3.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. Merck & Co., Inc.’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.91%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on MRK shares. Wall Street Zen cut Merck & Co., Inc. from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 17th. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 15th. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $135.00 target price for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $105.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $114.53.

View Our Latest Research Report on Merck & Co., Inc.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP David Michael Williams sold 8,614 shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.59, for a total transaction of $720,044.26. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 24,578 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,054,475.02. This trade represents a 25.95% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.09% of the company’s stock.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company Profile

(Free Report)

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.

Further Reading