Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) is a global pharmaceutical company that develops medicines, vaccines, and health solutions across oncology, infectious diseases, and cardiometabolic care.
The company is best known for its cancer drug Keytruda and its HPV vaccine Gardasil. Shares recently traded near $84 per share, giving Merck a market cap of about $210 billion. Despite its scale, the stock has fallen roughly 28% in the past year as investors weigh slowing growth against the strength of its research pipeline and steady cash flows.
Founded over a century ago, Merck has grown into one of the largest healthcare companies in the world. Today it is widely held by global asset managers, pension funds, and sovereign investors. Institutional ownership appears to reflect confidence in Merck’s ability to generate stable earnings, even as patent expirations and competition create ongoing risks. Insider trading activity adds another layer, showing how company leaders may be managing their personal exposure to the stock.
Looking at both ownership trends and insider moves gives a clearer picture of how big investors and executives seem to be approaching Merck right now.
Who Are Merck’s Top Shareholders?
See whether Merck’s top shareholders are buying or selling today >>>
Merck develops cancer treatments, vaccines, and medicines for chronic and infectious diseases, making it a core holding for many institutional investors. Its stock is primarily owned by large asset managers, with passive index funds anchoring most of the base.
- Vanguard Group: 251.8M shares (10.1%), ~$21.2B. Added slightly (+0.1%).
- BlackRock: 142.8M shares (5.7%), ~$12.0B. Cut 4.5M shares (-3.1%).
- State Street: 118.5M shares (4.7%), ~$10.0B. Trimmed 2.0M shares (-1.7%).
- Wellington Management: 76.9M shares (3.1%), ~$6.5B. Reduced 4.8M shares (-5.9%).
- Geode Capital: 59.0M shares (2.4%), ~$5.0B. Down 705K shares (-1.2%).
- Charles Schwab: 53.9M shares (2.2%), ~$4.5B. Added 4.6M shares (+9.4%).
- Norges Bank: 36.1M shares (1.5%), ~$3.0B. Added 1.1M shares (+3.2%).
One highlight from last quarter is Magnetar Financial, led by Alec Litowitz, which lifted its Merck stake by more than 330% to about 36.6K shares worth $2.9 million. That kind of sharp increase looks like a tactical bet on the stock.
Another notable move came from Capula Management, run by Yan Huo, which boosted its position by roughly 141% to over 9.1K shares valued at $721K. Even though the holding is small, the percentage jump shows rising interest.
Meanwhile, Chilton Investment, managed by Richard Chilton, raised its Merck stake by nearly 140%, now holding about 7.6K shares worth $605K. The move suggests growing conviction despite the small allocation.
Finally, Bridgewater Associates, founded by Ray Dalio, added significantly, lifting its position by more than 115% to about 1.15M shares worth $91.0 million. That level of buying stands out as a major show of confidence from one of the world’s largest hedge funds.
For investors, this looks like a stable base led by passive giants, while active managers are split. Schwab’s 9% increase may suggest confidence in Merck’s valuation, while Wellington’s cut could reflect caution over near-term growth.
Track the top shareholders of over 50,000 global stocks (It’s free) >>>
Merck’s Recent Insider Trades
Insider trading activity can sometimes reveal how confident executives and directors are in the company’s outlook. While sales can be linked to diversification, stock grants, or preset trading plans, patterns may still hint at leadership sentiment. In Merck’s case, it appears that there was recent stock compensation and sales of these shares, but these transactions were fairly modest.
Here are some recent insider sales:
- Chirfi Guindo (Officer): Sold ~18K shares at ~$79 from the ~37K shares received in August.
- David Michael Williams (Officer): Sold ~8.4K shares from the ~17K shares received in August.
For investors, the lack of insider buying may suggest leaders are cautious about adding exposure at today’s levels. At the same time, many of these trades look relatively small and could simply reflect grants or diversification needs.
See recent insider trade data for over 50,000 global stocks (It’s free) >>>
What the Ownership & Insider Trade Data Tell Us
Merck’s shareholder base is anchored by passive giants like Vanguard, BlackRock, and State Street, which ties much of the stock to index flows. Among active managers, Charles Schwab and Norges Bank have been adding, which could reflect confidence in Merck’s valuation and long-term pipeline. At the same time, cuts from Wellington and BlackRock show that not all institutions are leaning bullish.
Insider activity appears more weighted toward selling, with modest transactions from officers and directors. The absence of meaningful insider buying may hint that leadership is hesitant to increase exposure at current prices.
Overall, the picture looks mixed. Institutions continue to view Merck as a core holding, but selective trimming and insider sales suggest some hesitation.
Investors may be waiting for stronger evidence that Merck can sustain growth momentum beyond its current blockbusters.
Wall Street Analysts Are Bullish on These 5 Undervalued Compounders With Market-Beating Potential
TIKR just released a new free report on 5 compounders that appear undervalued, have beaten the market in the past, and could continue to outperform on a 1-5 year timeline based on analysts’ estimates.
Inside, you’ll get a breakdown of 5 high-quality businesses with:
- Strong revenue growth and durable competitive advantages
- Attractive valuations based on forward earnings and expected earnings growth
- Long-term upside potential backed by analyst forecasts and TIKR’s valuation models
These are the kinds of stocks that can deliver massive long-term returns, especially if you catch them while they’re still trading at a discount.
Whether you’re a long-term investor or just looking for great businesses trading below fair value, this report will help you zero in on high-upside opportunities.
Click here to sign up for TIKR and get our full report on 5 undervalued compounders completely free.
