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MRK Stock Forecast: Merck & Co., Inc. Price Predictions for 2026-2027

Last close, 21 Aug 2026
$153
+2.38% on the day

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Merck & Co., Inc. hold a median 12-month price target of $150 — -1.7% from the last close. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model, run across ~4,600 US stocks, ranks it 83 of 100 as at 22 Aug 2026 — inside the top quartile. The factors read stronger than the Street's target implies. That gap is the story on this page.

Market cap
$376.4B
Ticker Nerd rank
83 / 100
Median analyst target
$150
Analysts covering
28
Total return, dividends reinvested
1W
+12.3%
1M
+20.8%
YTD
+47.0%
1Y
+83.1%
From 52W high
0.0%
From 52W low
+101.1%
$76
$153
52-week range, adjusted closes · the dot is the last close
Ticker Nerd rank

MRK stock analysis: one number for the whole business

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.

Where the model ranks itAs at 22 Aug 2026
83 / 100

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
Value
99
Quality
99
Momentum
91
Accruals
71
Revisions
61
Issuance
42
Growth
37
Size
1

Volatility (100): The share price has been relatively steady.

Growth (37): 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.

Wall Street

MRK stock forecast 2026-2027: analyst price targets & predictions

The bullish and bearish analyst opinions on MRK, reported as data — targets and ratings, the market's view beside the model's.

Share price and the analyst range, 12 monthsAdjusted close, US dollars
$80$100$120$140$160$180$200Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 26MRKHigh $186Median $150Low $105

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

What Wall Street says28 analysts
20 Buy8 Hold0 Sell
Low $105Median $150High $186

The green dot is the last close — the median target sits −1.7% from it.

Recent analyst actionsNewest first

Of the 20 most recent actions, 12 moved their price target up and 0 moved it down.

DateFirmActionRatingTarget
21 Aug 2026Goldman SachsMaintainsBuy$140 → $160
20 Aug 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform$142 → $170
20 Aug 2026Morgan StanleyUpgradeOverweight$116 → $179
20 Aug 2026RBC CapitalDowngradeSector Perform$142 → $150
20 Aug 2026UBSMaintainsBuy$145 → $175
12 Aug 2026Daiwa CapitalUpgradeOutperform—
12 Aug 2026Daiwa CapitalUpgradeOutperform$120 → $143
11 Aug 2026Argus ResearchMaintainsBuy—
11 Aug 2026Argus ResearchMaintainsBuy$130 → $145
5 Aug 2026GuggenheimMaintainsBuy—
5 Aug 2026GuggenheimMaintainsBuy$145 → $146
29 July 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight—
29 July 2026BarclaysMaintainsOverweight$140 → $150
13 July 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform—
13 July 2026BMO CapitalMaintainsOutperform$135 → $142
13 July 2026GuggenheimMaintainsBuy—
13 July 2026GuggenheimMaintainsBuy$140 → $145
13 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsOverweight—
13 July 2026JP MorganMaintainsOverweight$135 → $140
9 July 2026Morgan StanleyMaintainsEqual-Weight—

Price targets and ratings are third-party analyst estimates, reported here as data. They are not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Market Radar

This page is one stock. Monday covers all of them.

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.

Free, every Monday. Unsubscribe any time.

Estimates

MRK analyst estimate revisions

Not the forecast itself — the direction analysts are revising it. Revision direction is one of the model's factor families.

Which way the estimates are movingNext fiscal year
EPS revision, 90 days
+0.4%
Analysts raising
6
Analysts cutting
2
Fundamentals

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) financial data

A margin means little on its own. Each bar marks where the figure sits across the whole US universe we score.

Valuation
Trailing P/E
122.0×

Cheaper than 6% of US stocks

Price / sales
5.7×

Cheaper than 23% of US stocks

Price / book
9.0×

Cheaper than 12% of US stocks

EV / EBITDA
14.7×

Cheaper than 25% of US stocks

Growth & margins
Revenue growth (YoY)
5.1%

Higher than 39% of US stocks

Earnings growth (YoY)
5.1%

Higher than 42% of US stocks

Gross margin
73.5%

Higher than 86% of US stocks

Operating margin
−0.2%

Higher than 32% of US stocks

Net margin
4.8%

Higher than 59% of US stocks

Returns & dividend
Return on equity
7.0%

Higher than 57% of US stocks

Return on assets
11.9%

Higher than 95% of US stocks

Dividend yield
2.2%

Higher than 51% of US dividend payers

Bars mark the percentile across the ~4,600 US stocks Ticker Nerd covers, among those reporting the figure.

Peers

MRK vs competitors

The nearest names by industry and size, scored by the same model — like for like.

Its peer group, ranked by the same modelDrug Manufacturers - General
CompanyMarket capTKN rank
MRKMerck & Co., Inc.$376.4B
83
ABBVAbbVie, Inc.$468.1B
96
AMGNAmgen, Inc.$236.8B
92
JNJJohnson & Johnson$650.8B
92
GILDGilead Sciences, Inc.$181.4B
92
PFEPfizer Inc.$159.6B
79
BMYBristol Myers Squibb Co.$136.4B
99

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 →

News

Latest MRK news & analysis

Why Is Merck Stock Still An Undervalued Mega-Cap In Pharma?

Forbes · 21 Aug 2026positive

Forbes published an article by Doug Nathman, with research from Trefis, examining why Merck remains an undervalued mega-cap in the pharmaceutical sector. The piece discusses the company's valuation within the context of the broader pharma industry.

Why it matters — A Forbes/Trefis piece framing MRK as undervalued may draw investor attention to the company's relative valuation within the pharma mega-cap group.

Can Merck's New Drugs Offer Growth Cushion Ahead of Keytruda LOE?

Zacks Investment Research · 21 Aug 2026positive

Merck is building a more diversified growth base through its growing pipeline, acquired assets, and new product launches, which are gaining traction as it prepares for Keytruda's expected loss of exclusivity in 2028. The company is positioning these efforts to help cushion growth ahead of that event.

Why it matters — MRK watchers would care because the item suggests the company is working to offset the expected impact of Keytruda's 2028 loss of exclusivity with its pipeline and newer products.

COVID-19 Made Moderna Famous: Cancer Could Define Its Future

Benzinga · 21 Aug 2026neutral

The article discusses Moderna's transition away from its COVID-19 vaccine-driven success, noting that as pandemic demand faded so did its revenue and stock price. It examines how the company now looks to cancer research to define its future.

Why it matters — MRK watchers would care because Moderna's shift toward cancer-focused development places it as a competitor in oncology, a key area for Merck's pipeline and strategy.

Merck vs. J&J: Which Healthcare Giant Should Investors Choose?

Zacks Investment Research · 21 Aug 2026negative

Zacks Investment Research compares Merck and Johnson & Johnson as healthcare investments, noting that both companies face patent expiration challenges. The analysis suggests that J&J's diversified portfolio and pipeline strength give it an edge over Merck.

Why it matters — A Merck watcher would care because the analysis positions J&J as having a comparative advantage over MRK amid shared patent expiration pressures, potentially influencing investor perception of Merck's outlook.

MRK/MRNA's Personalized Cancer Therapy Delivers First Phase III Win

Zacks Investment Research · 20 Aug 2026positive

Merck and Moderna's personalized melanoma therapy met key goals in a Phase III study, improving recurrence-free and distant metastasis-free survival in high-risk patients. This marks the therapy's first Phase III win.

Why it matters — A successful Phase III result for the personalized cancer therapy could bolster Merck's oncology pipeline, a key area for the company.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about MRK stock

What is the MRK stock price forecast for 2026-2027?

The 28 Wall Street analysts covering Merck & Co., Inc. have a median 12-month price target of $150, with estimates ranging from $105 to $186. These are third-party analyst estimates, not Ticker Nerd forecasts, and they are frequently wrong.

Is MRK stock a buy right now?

Of the 28 analysts covering Merck & Co., Inc., 20 rate it a Buy, 8 a Hold and 0 a Sell. Ticker Nerd's systematic factor model ranks Merck & Co., Inc. 83 out of 100 across roughly 4,600 US stocks as at 22 Aug 2026. None of this is personal advice — it does not consider your circumstances.

How does Ticker Nerd's model rank MRK?

As at 22 Aug 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. ranks 83 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).

Will MRK stock go up?

No one can know that. What the data says: the median 12-month target from 28 analysts implies -1.7% from the last close, and Ticker Nerd's factor model ranks Merck & Co., Inc. 83 out of 100 as at 22 Aug 2026. Analyst targets are third-party estimates and frequently wrong; none of this is personal advice.

What is the MRK stock forecast for 2030?

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.

How has MRK stock performed over the past year?

Merck & Co., Inc. returned +83.1% over the 12 months to 21 Aug 2026, with dividends reinvested. Past performance does not indicate future returns.

What does Merck & Co., Inc. do?

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global healthcare company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products.

What is the latest news on MRK?

The most recent item we track (Forbes, 21 Aug 2026): "Why Is Merck Stock Still An Undervalued Mega-Cap In Pharma?". Forbes published an article by Doug Nathman, with research from Trefis, examining why Merck remains an undervalued mega-cap in the pharmaceutical sector. The piece discusses the company's valuation within the context of the broader pharma industry.

Company

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc. is a global healthcare company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products. Its pharmaceutical business serves major therapeutic areas including oncology, infectious diseases, immunology, cardiometabolic disorders, and hospital acute care, while its vaccines portfolio addresses prevention across pediatric, adolescent, and adult populations. The animal health segment provides veterinary medicines, vaccines, and health management solutions for livestock and companion animals. Merck & Co., Inc. works with hospitals, physicians, pharmacies, governments, wholesalers, and veterinary customers across global markets. Headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, and founded in 1891, the company is a major biopharmaceutical participant in both human and animal health markets.

CEO Mr. Robert M. Davis J.D. · 73,000 employees · United States · https://www.merck.com