MRKHealthcare · Drug Manufacturers - GeneralThe 27 Wall Street analysts covering Merck & Co., Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $163 — +12.3% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 81 of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026 — inside the top quartile. Here, the model and the Street point the same way.
Consensus tells you what everyone already believes. The model scores Merck & Co., Inc. on its factor families — the same systematic rank behind the Ticker Nerd portfolio.
Percentile across ~4,600 US stocks on Ticker Nerd’s systematic factor model. Higher is better. How the model is built and tested
Volatility (100): The share price has been relatively steady.
Growth (39): Sales and profits are flat, shrinking, or growing more slowly than they were.
Size (1): Larger than most of the companies we track — more scrutinised, less often mispriced.
Built and run by Aslam Ghouse, an ex-Goldman Sachs quant trader with fourteen years in markets.
The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on MRK, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The green dot is the last close — the median target sits +12.3% from it.
Of the 20 most recent actions, 11 moved their price target up and 2 moved it down.
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2026 | Citigroup | Maintains | Neutral | $125 → $145 |
| 12 Oct 2026 | RBC Capital | Maintains | Sector Perform | $150 → $145 |
| 8 Oct 2026 | Cantor Fitzgerald | Maintains | Neutral | $120 → $145 |
| 7 Oct 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Maintains | Overweight | $179 → $177 |
| 5 Oct 2026 | JP Morgan | Maintains | Overweight | $150 → $165 |
| 29 Sept 2026 | Scotiabank | Maintains | Sector Outperform | — |
| 29 Sept 2026 | Scotiabank | Maintains | Sector Outperform | $155 → $180 |
| 10 Sept 2026 | HSBC | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 10 Sept 2026 | HSBC | Maintains | Buy | $150 → $172 |
| 9 Sept 2026 | Leerink Partners | Maintains | Outperform | $127 → $161 |
| 9 Sept 2026 | Leerink Partners | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 8 Sept 2026 | Guggenheim | Maintains | Buy | $146 → $170 |
| 8 Sept 2026 | Guggenheim | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 4 Sept 2026 | Wells Fargo | Maintains | Overweight | $150 → $170 |
| 4 Sept 2026 | Wells Fargo | Maintains | Overweight | — |
| 25 Aug 2026 | Argus Research | Maintains | Buy | $145 → $170 |
| 25 Aug 2026 | Argus Research | Maintains | Buy | — |
| 25 Aug 2026 | Wolfe Research | Maintains | Outperform | $155 → $180 |
| 25 Aug 2026 | Wolfe Research | Maintains | Outperform | — |
| 21 Aug 2026 | Goldman Sachs | Maintains | Buy | $140 → $160 |
Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Computed off the Friday close and sent before the US open.
Market Radar reports the week’s largest rank changes across roughly 4,600 US stocks, the factor behind each one, and where the market went. MRK appears on the weeks it earns a place.
Both lines are total return — dividends reinvested — so the comparison is honest on both sides.
Over the twelve months to 15 Oct 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. returned +77.7% against +17.3% for the S&P 500, dividends included.
Download this chart as an image — free to reuse; link this page as the source.
Data provided by Twelve Data
Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.
A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.
Cheaper than 6% of US stocks
Cheaper than 22% of US stocks
Cheaper than 11% of US stocks
Cheaper than 25% of US stocks
Higher than 39% of US stocks
Higher than 42% of US stocks
Higher than 86% of US stocks
Higher than 32% of US stocks
Higher than 59% of US stocks
Higher than 57% of US stocks
Higher than 95% of US stocks
Higher than 81% of US dividend payers
Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.
The headline figures, each with its date. Every row carries its own link — cite it straight from here.
Merck & Co., Inc. has a market value of $363.6B and an enterprise value of $410.4B.
Revenue in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $66.6B. The latest quarter grew 5.1% year on year.
Net income over the same four quarters: $3.2B, a 4.8% net margin.
Diluted earnings per share, trailing twelve months: $1.25.
Free cash flow in the twelve months to 30 June 2026: $16.1B, after $3.9B of capital spending.
Merck & Co., Inc. spent $4.2B on share buybacks and $8.3B on dividends in the twelve months to 30 June 2026.
Trailing P/E: 117.0×; forward P/E: 15.9× — the forward figure prices analyst consensus estimates, not reported earnings.
Forward dividend yield: 2.31%, paying out 267% of earnings.
Merck & Co., Inc. employs 73,000 people — $912K of revenue per employee.
Data provided by Twelve Data
The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.
Look up any of the roughly 4,600 stocks we score.
The rank is the raw material. Whether the rules would actually own Merck & Co., Inc. — and when they’d sell — is the membership. See the Ticker Nerd 20 →
Dan Deming said Merck is leading a stabilizing healthcare sector, amid a significant rotation in the AI trade that he sees as opening new trading opportunities. He also highlighted Gilead Sciences and Exxon Mobil.
Why it matters — The comments identify Merck as a leading name in a healthcare sector that Deming views as stabilizing.
The article compares Amgen and Merck’s dividend yields, noting both are around 2.3%, and contrasts their ability to fund dividend payments. The excerpt says one has a cash cushion while the other is paying its dividend without one, but does not identify which company.
Why it matters — MRK watchers may find the comparison relevant to assessing the sustainability and growth capacity of Merck’s dividend, though the excerpt does not specify Merck’s position.
Merck & Co. (MRK) has recently drawn considerable attention from users of Zacks.com. The article says readers should be aware of facts that may affect the stock’s prospects.
Why it matters — MRK watchers may find the article relevant as it points to factors that could influence the stock’s prospects.
Merck CEO Rob Davis told CNBC he expects the cancer vaccine developed with Moderna to become faster to manufacture over time. He described production as complex but said the companies have refined the process into a tight science.
Why it matters — Manufacturing speed is relevant to MRK watchers following development of the vaccine with Moderna.
A Zacks Investment Research item examines whether Keytruda sales growth, earlier-stage launches and expanded indications could support Merck’s Q3 results, while noting biosimilar competition is expected in 2028–2029.
Why it matters — MRK watchers may consider the potential near-term contribution of Keytruda and other launches alongside the longer-term competition noted in the item.
The 27 Wall Street analysts covering Merck & Co., Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $163, with estimates ranging from $105 to $186. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.
Of the 27 analysts covering Merck & Co., Inc., 19 rate it a Buy, 8 a Hold and 0 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Merck & Co., Inc. 81 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 14 Oct 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.
As at 14 Oct 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. ranks 81 out of 100 on Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model — a percentile across roughly 4,600 US stocks, built from its factor families. Its strongest factor family is Volatility (100 of 100).
No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 27 analysts implies +12.3% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Merck & Co., Inc. 81 out of 100 as at 14 Oct 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.
No analyst covering Merck & Co., Inc. publishes a 2030 price target — Wall Street targets run 12 to 18 months out. Sites quoting a 2030 price for MRK are extrapolating price history, which says nothing about the business. The furthest attributed numbers are the current analyst targets: $105 to $186 over the next 12 months.
Merck & Co., Inc. returned +77.7% over the 12 months to 15 Oct 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global healthcare company focused on developing, manufacturing, and delivering prescription medicines, vaccines, and biologic therapies.
The most recent item we track (Schwab Network, 15 Oct 2026): "The Big 3: MRK, GILD, XOM". Dan Deming said Merck is leading a stabilizing healthcare sector, amid a significant rotation in the AI trade that he sees as opening new trading opportunities. He also highlighted Gilead Sciences and Exxon Mobil.
Merck & Co., Inc. is a global healthcare company focused on developing, manufacturing, and delivering prescription medicines, vaccines, and biologic therapies. Its human health portfolio addresses major disease areas including oncology, infectious diseases, cardiology, immunology, and hospital-based care. The company also operates an animal health business that provides veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and technology-supported solutions for livestock, companion animals, and aquaculture. Merck & Co., Inc. serves healthcare professionals, hospitals, governments, pharmacies, patients, veterinarians, farmers, and animal owners across international markets. Through research, clinical development, manufacturing, regulatory expertise, and commercial distribution, the company supports the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Its role in the pharmaceutical market spans innovative medicines, vaccines, and specialty therapies, while its animal health segment contributes to disease prevention and productivity across food-animal and pet-care industries. Merck & Co., Inc. is headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, and operates as a major participant in the global healthcare sector.
CEO Mr. Robert M. Davis J.D. · 73,000 employees · United States · https://www.merck.com
