Merck & Co. stock falls 2.90 percent before Q3 results

Published on 10/05/2026 at 20:07 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Merck & Co. stock was trading at USD 140.12 on October 5, 2026, while JPMorgan raised its target to USD 165. Q2 revenue reached USD 16.61 billion.

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Merck & Co. (ISIN US58933Y1055) stock was trading at USD 140.12 on the NYSE on October 5, 2026, down 2.90 percent from the previous close of USD 144.30. The move comes as the pharmaceutical group approaches its third-quarter results date, which Merck lists for October 29, 2026.

Third-quarter date is set

Merck said on October 1, 2026, that it will hold its third-quarter 2026 sales and earnings conference call on October 29. The date gives investors a clear checkpoint after the company reported second-quarter sales of USD 16.6 billion on its investor-relations page.

Merck's Q2 revenue was USD 16.61 billion, compared with analyst expectations of USD 16.37 billion, according to MarketBeat. Revenue increased 5.1 percent from the same quarter a year earlier, making sales growth a central measure for the upcoming report.

Analysts see limited upside

The analyst backdrop remains constructive but less decisive than the long-term pipeline story. Sixteen analysts rate Merck Buy and eleven rate it Hold, producing a Moderate Buy consensus and an average price target of USD 146.36, according to MarketBeat. That target is 4.45 percent above the October 5 price.

JPMorgan raised its Merck target from USD 150.00 to USD 165.00 on October 5 and kept an Overweight rating, the same MarketBeat report said. The new target stands 17.75 percent above the current NYSE price, leaving the next earnings update as the key test for that view.

Stock trades below yearly high

Merck's USD 140.12 price was inside its USD 82.01 to USD 156.92 52-week range on October 5, 2026. The stock was 10.70 percent below the yearly high, while its market capitalization stood at USD 346.1 billion and trading volume reached 5,294,441 shares.