FUKOKU MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE Co Adjusts Merck & Co., Inc. Holdings

FUKOKU MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE Co has recently disclosed a reduction in its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) by 0.7% for the fourth quarter. After selling 3,127 shares during this period, the institutional investor now holds 449,986 shares of Merck, which represent 3.2% of its overall portfolio. The value of FUKOKU MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE Co's holdings in Merck at the end of the last quarter was approximately $44,765,000.

In addition, several other institutional investors have been active in modifying their positions in Merck recently. For example, Midwest Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Merck shares during the fourth quarter, valued at about $26,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC also entered the picture, investing approximately $32,000 in the third quarter. Other investors included Financial Life Planners, which purchased around $28,000 worth of shares in the fourth quarter, and AM Squared Ltd, which bought shares valued at $34,000 in the third quarter. Overall, institutional investors own about 76.07% of Merck's stock.

Insider Trading Activities

In related news, insider Cristal N. Downing recently sold 2,361 shares of Merck's stock on February 6th at an average price of $88.76, which generated a total of $209,562.36. Following this transaction, Downing's remaining shares total 7,085, with a current value close to $628,864.60, marking a significant decrease in her ownership by 24.99%. Additionally, Director Inge G. Thulin purchased 2,833 shares at an average price of $88.25 on the same day, leading to a total investment of $250,012.25 and a substantial increase in his position by 2,833%.ld.

Merck Stock Overview

As of Thursday, shares of Merck & Co., Inc. opened at $89.39. The company holds a quick ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.36, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. It boasts a market capitalization of $226.12 billion and has a P/E ratio of 13.28. Over the past year, Merck's stock reached a low of $81.04 and a high of $134.63. The average of its 50-day and 200-day moving averages stands at $94.93 and $103.68, respectively.

On February 4th, Merck & Co., Inc. announced its quarterly earnings, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $1.72. This was below the consensus estimate of $1.85 by $0.13. The revenue for the quarter was reported at $15.62 billion, slightly above analysts' expectations of $15.51 billion. Additionally, Merck experienced a return on equity of 45.35% and a net margin of 26.67%, with a year-over-year revenue increase of 6.8%. The company anticipates posting an EPS of 9.01 for the current fiscal year.

Recent Developments and Stock Buyback Program

Merck's Board of Directors approved a significant share repurchase program, allowing for the buyback of up to $10.00 billion worth of outstanding shares on January 28th. This program is seen as a sign that the leadership views its shares as undervalued, approving the reacquisition of up to 4.1% of its shares through open market purchases.

Dividend Announcement

The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.81 per share, with payment set for April 7th to shareholders recorded by March 17th. This equates to an annualized dividend of $3.24 and a yield of 3.62%. Merck's dividend payout ratio stands at 48.14%.

Analyst Predictions

Various analysts have recently issued opinions on MRK. Wolfe Research began coverage on the company with a 'peer perform' rating. Guggenheim reduced its price target for Merck from $122.00 to $115.00 while keeping a 'buy' rating. Citigroup similarly adjusted its target from $125.00 to $115.00, maintaining a 'buy' stance. HSBC Global Research raised its rating from 'hold' to 'strong buy', and another report on December 4th emphasized Merck with a price target of $130.00. Presently, one analyst has a sell rating, eleven a hold rating, nine a buy, and three a strong buy rating, with an average rating of 'Moderate Buy' and a price target of $116.39.

Merck & Co., Inc. Overview

Merck & Co, Inc is a healthcare company that specializes in providing health solutions through its wide range of prescription medications, vaccines, biologic therapies, as well as animal and consumer care products. It operates through various segments, including Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, and Other.

Merck, Investment, Stocks