Evergreen Capital Management 13F: Cuts Merck (MRK) Stake by $10M

Evergreen Capital Management reduced its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. MRK by 69,731 shares during the quarter, according to a Form 13F filing with the SEC on October 23, 2026.

MRK Merck & Co., Inc.

$145.27 ▲ +39.28% year to date

1M 3M YTD

Daily close · Oct 23, 2026

What Changed in Evergreen Capital Management's Merck & Co., Inc. Position

The fund trimmed its position by a 27.0% margin, bringing its total ownership down to 188,787 shares. The remaining stake carried a reported value of $27,593,001 at the time of the filing. Before this adjustment, the firm held 258,518 shares.

Other Institutional Activity in Merck & Co., Inc.

Other major funds also adjusted their exposure to the pharmaceutical company during the filing period. Mondrian Investment Partners cut its position by 60.4%, dropping 889,899 shares to end with 584,046 shares worth about $84,867,724. Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB reduced its holdings by 8.5%, ending with 204,655 shares valued at about $29,738,418.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 3.1%

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. closed at $145.27 on October 23, 2026, and recently traded at $145.27 as of October 24, 2026. The stock moves within a 52-week range between $82.01 and $156.92.

Recent Earnings

The healthcare company posted trailing twelve-month revenue of $66,568,998,912 and earnings of $1.24 per share. Its net profit margin stood at 4.8% alongside a return on equity of 7.0%. The company scheduled its next earnings announcement for October 29, 2026.

Dividend

Merck & Co., Inc. distributes an annual dividend rate of $3.40 per share, translating to a dividend yield of 2.31%. The payout ratio reached 266.7% based on current earnings figures.

Insider Buying and Selling at Merck & Co., Inc.

Company insiders executed several transactions prior to the filing. Officer Chirfi Guindo sold 15,000 shares on August 6, 2026, at an average price of $131.00 for a total of $1,965,000. General Counsel Jennifer L Zachary sold 80,315 shares on August 12, 2026, at $133.46 per share worth $10,718,495. Officer Richard Robert Deluca Jr. disposed of 45,320 shares on August 12, 2026, valued at $5,942,369. Additionally, Chirfi Guindo sold another 10,000 shares on August 13, 2026, at $135.00 per share totaling $1,350,000.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Wall Street firms updated their outlooks ahead of the filing. JP Morgan maintained an Overweight rating on October 5, 2026, lifting its target from $150.00 to $165.00. Morgan Stanley kept an Overweight rating on October 7, 2026, lowering its target slightly from $179.00 to $177.00. Cantor Fitzgerald maintained a Neutral rating on October 8, 2026, raising its target from $120.00 to $145.00. Citigroup kept a Neutral rating on October 12, 2026, while pushing its target from $125.00 to $145.00. RBC Capital maintained a Sector Perform rating on October 12, 2026, adjusting its target from $150.00 down to $145.00. Analysts hold a consensus buy rating on the stock with a mean price target of $158.56 across 25 opinions.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc. develops and delivers human health pharmaceuticals across global markets, focusing on treatments like Keytruda, Gardasil, and various vaccine and specialty drug lines. Institutional adjustments like Evergreen's recent cut give market participants a look into how professional managers handle large healthcare holdings ahead of upcoming financial reports.

Bottom Line

Investors will look toward the upcoming earnings release on October 29, 2026, for further updates on financial health and operational margins. Regulatory updates and subsequent institutional filings will provide additional clues on broader sentiment.