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Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Merck & Co., Inc. logo
$84.13 +0.92 (+1.11%)
Closing price 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$84.13 0.00 (0.00%)
As of 06:32 PM Eastern
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Merck & Co., Inc. - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2025)

Consensus Rating

Hold
Based on 20 Analyst Ratings
Sell
1
Hold
12
Buy
7

Based on 20 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Merck & Co., Inc. in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold." Out of the 20 analysts, 1 has given a sell rating, 12 have given a hold rating, 6 have given a buy rating, and 1 has given a strong buy rating for MRK.

Consensus Price Target

$107.44
27.70% Upside
According to the 20 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Merck & Co., Inc., the average price target is $107.44. The highest price target for MRK is $140.00, while the lowest price target for MRK is $84.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 27.70% from the current price of $84.13.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
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MRK Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
8/29/24 to 8/29/25		1 Month Ago
7/30/24 to 7/30/25		3 Months Ago
5/31/24 to 5/31/25		1 Year Ago
8/30/23 to 8/29/24
Strong Buy
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
2 Strong Buy rating(s)
3 Strong Buy rating(s)
3 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
6 Buy rating(s)
6 Buy rating(s)
6 Buy rating(s)
9 Buy rating(s)
Hold
12 Hold rating(s)
12 Hold rating(s)
12 Hold rating(s)
2 Hold rating(s)
Sell
1 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$107.44$107.44$109.19$134.58
Forecasted Upside27.70% Upside31.17% Upside42.06% Upside14.57% Upside
Consensus Rating
Hold
Hold
Moderate Buy
Moderate Buy

MRK Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
Skip Chart & View Analyst Rating History

MRK Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock vs. The Competition

TypeMerck & Co., Inc.Medical CompaniesS&P 500
Consensus Rating Score
2.35
2.78
2.53
Consensus RatingHoldModerate BuyModerate Buy
Predicted Upside27.70% Upside15,803.52% Upside10.23% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Very Positive News

See Recent MRK News
Positive News
Positive News
Export to Excel
DateBrokerageAnalyst NameActionRatingPrice TargetUpside/Downside on Report DateDetails
7/30/2025Wells Fargo & Company
3 of 5 stars		Mohit Bansal
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower TargetEqual Weight ➝ Equal Weight$97.00 ➝ $90.00+8.16%
7/10/2025Morgan Stanley
3 of 5 stars		Terence Flynn
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower TargetEqual Weight ➝ Equal Weight$99.00 ➝ $98.00+16.11%
5/20/2025Cantor Fitzgerald
4 of 5 stars		C. Gould
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		DowngradeOverweight ➝ Cautious
5/14/2025Citigroup
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Andrew Baum
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated RatingBuy ➝ Neutral$115.00 ➝ $84.00+9.63%
4/17/2025Guggenheim
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Vamil Divan
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Reiterated RatingBuy ➝ Buy$115.00 ➝ $115.00+47.26%
2/18/2025Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		James Shin
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		DowngradeBuy ➝ Hold$128.00 ➝ $105.00+26.49%
2/10/2025TD Securities
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 DowngradeBuy ➝ Hold$121.00 ➝ $100.00+15.45%
2/10/2025TD Cowen
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		S. Scala
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		DowngradeBuy ➝ Hold$121.00 ➝ $100.00+14.60%
2/5/2025Bank of America
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Tim Anderson
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower TargetBuy ➝ Buy$118.00 ➝ $112.00+26.31%
2/5/2025BMO Capital Markets
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		E. Seigerman
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower TargetMarket Perform ➝ Market Perform$105.00 ➝ $96.00+7.95%
1/13/2025Leerink Partners
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Daina Graybosch
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Lower TargetOutperform ➝ Outperform$136.00 ➝ $119.00+19.31%
1/8/2025UBS Group
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 Lower TargetBuy ➝ Buy$125.00 ➝ $120.00+21.14%
1/8/2025Truist Financial
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 Reiterated RatingBuy ➝ Hold$130.00 ➝ $110.00+8.88%
12/4/2024Hsbc Global Res
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		R. Kumar
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		UpgradeHold ➝ Strong-Buy
12/4/2024HSBC
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 UpgradeHold ➝ Buy$130.00+27.65%
11/15/2024Wolfe Research
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		T. Anderson
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Initiated CoveragePeer Perform
11/11/2024Daiwa America
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		N. Nakagiri
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		DowngradeStrong-Buy ➝ Hold
11/11/2024Daiwa Capital Markets
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 DowngradeBuy ➝ Neutral
10/17/2024Sanford C. Bernstein
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		C. Breen
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		Initiated CoverageMarket Perform$115.00+4.14%
10/7/2024Barclays
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 Lower TargetOverweight ➝ Overweight$142.00 ➝ $140.00+28.83%
7/30/2024Evercore ISI
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		U. Raffat
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		UpgradeStrong-Buy
6/5/2024Argus
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		J. Hellweg
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		UpgradeStrong-Buy
4/8/2024Berenberg Bank
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 Boost TargetBuy ➝ Buy$140.00 ➝ $143.00+11.73%
3/11/2024Societe Generale
Subscribe to MarketBeat All Access for the recommendation accuracy rating		 DowngradeHold ➝ Sell$104.00-15.33%

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Friday at 06:33 PM ET.


Should I Buy Merck & Co., Inc. Stock? MRK Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Monday, August 25, 2025. Please send any questions or comments about these Merck & Co., Inc. pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Merck:

  • The current stock price is around $87, which reflects a stable valuation in the market.
  • Merck has a strong market capitalization of approximately $217.76 billion, indicating a robust position in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • The company reported earnings per share of $2.13, surpassing analysts' expectations, which suggests strong financial performance.
  • Merck's dividend yield is around 3.7%, providing a steady income stream for investors through its quarterly dividends.
  • With a return on equity of 41.05%, Merck demonstrates effective management and profitability, which can attract long-term investors.

Merck & Co., Inc.
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in Merck for these reasons:

  • Recent analyst reports have shown a reduction in target prices, indicating potential concerns about future growth.
  • Merck's price-to-earnings ratio of 13.43 may suggest that the stock is fairly valued, limiting upside potential.
  • The company has faced revenue estimates that were not met, which could signal challenges in maintaining growth momentum.
  • With a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, there is a moderate level of debt that could impact financial flexibility.
  • Market sentiment has been cautious, with a consensus rating of "Hold," indicating uncertainty among analysts regarding the stock's future performance.

MRK Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 20 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Merck & Co., Inc. is $107.44, with a high forecast of $140.00 and a low forecast of $84.00.

20 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Merck & Co., Inc. in the last twelve months. There is currently 1 sell rating, 12 hold ratings, 6 buy ratings and 1 strong buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "hold" MRK shares. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in MRK, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares.

According to analysts, Merck & Co., Inc.'s stock has a predicted upside of 27.70% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Merck & Co., Inc. has been rated by research analysts at Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo & Company in the past 90 days.

Analysts like Merck & Co., Inc. less than other "medical" companies. The consensus rating for Merck & Co., Inc. is Hold while the average consensus rating for "medical" companies is Moderate Buy. Learn more on how MRK compares to other companies.

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This page (NYSE:MRK) was last updated on 8/29/2025 by MarketBeat.com Staff
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