Smith Chas P & Associates Pa Cpas 13F: Cuts MRK Stake by $987K

Smith Chas P & Associates Pa Cpas cut its holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. by 6,761 shares, according to a Form 13F filing filed with the SEC on October 22, 2026.

MRK Merck & Co., Inc.

$149.88 ▲ +43.70% year to date

1M 3M YTD

Daily close · Oct 21, 2026

What Changed in Smith Chas P & Associates Pa Cpas's Merck & Co., Inc. Position

The firm lowered its stake by a 1.8% margin during the period. That brought its total holding down to 352,837 shares. The remaining position carried a value of $51,496,544 at the time of the report. Merck closed at $153.19 on the filing date.

Other Institutional Activity in Merck & Co., Inc.

Brandes Investment Partners trimmed its holdings by 164,963 shares, ending with 2,302,562 shares worth about $295,879,217. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company reduced its holdings by 64,996 shares to hold 629,819 shares valued at $91,518,999. Goldstein Advisors grew its holdings by 1,824 shares, ending with 6,258 shares worth about $909,350. Hbw Advisory Services reduced its position by 8,583 shares, holding 18,454 shares valued at $2,681,621. Fort Washington Investment Advisors lowered its stake by 247,581 shares to finish with 419,350 shares worth about $60,935,749.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 0.8%

The stock recently traded around $148.75 on October 22, 2026, putting it down about 2.9% from its event close. Shares sit below their 52-week high of $156.92 while trading above the 50-day moving average of $146.16.

Recent Earnings

Merck posted trailing twelve-month revenue of $66,568,998,912 with an earnings per share of $1.26. The healthcare firm generated a net profit margin of 4.8% and a return on equity of 7.0%. Its revenue grew at a 5.1% year-over-year clip. The company is scheduled to release its next earnings report on October 29, 2026.

Dividend

Merck pays an annual dividend rate of $3.40 per share, offering a dividend yield of 2.27% alongside a payout ratio of 266.7%.

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

Company insiders executed several transactions leading up to the filing. On June 30, 2026, Karsanbhai Surendralal Lanca bought 127 shares at $128.50 per share for a total of $16,319.50. Later, on August 12, 2026, general counsel Jennifer L Zachary sold 80,315 shares at $133.46 per share worth $10,718,495. Officer Richard Robert Deluca Jr. sold 45,320 shares on August 12, 2026, totaling $5,942,369. Officer Chirfi Guindo sold 10,000 shares on August 13, 2026, at $135.00 per share for a total value of $1,350,000.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

On October 5, 2026, JP Morgan maintained an Overweight rating with a price target of $165.00. Morgan Stanley maintained an Overweight rating on October 7, 2026, with a target of $177.00. Cantor Fitzgerald maintained a Neutral rating on October 8, 2026, setting a target of $145.00. Citigroup maintained a Neutral rating on October 12, 2026, with a $145.00 target. RBC Capital maintained a Sector Perform rating on October 12, 2026, at a $145.00 target. Across Wall Street, analysts hold a consensus buy rating with a mean target price of $158.56 based on 25 opinions.

About Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co. operates as a global healthcare company that researches, develops, and delivers human health pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and animal health products. Key treatments in its portfolio include Keytruda, Gardasil, and various other prescription drugs and biological therapies used across multiple medical specialties. Institutional adjustments in the stock coincide with ongoing clinical updates and steady demand for its core therapeutic treatments.

Bottom Line

Investors will watch the upcoming earnings report on October 29, 2026, for fresh performance details. Further SEC filings will show how institutional sentiment evolves through the end of the year.