Merck & Company, Inc.

• MRK Stock Price 24h change: -1.04%. From 111.68 USD to 110.52 USD. The slight decline reflects investor caution ahead of key presentations at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference and a downward revision in full-year EPS estimates by analysts.
• From a technical perspective, the stock maintains a "bullish trend with short-term consolidation": long-term moving averages (MA50/MA200) show a "golden cross" pattern indicating strong upward momentum. However, a neutral RSI (52.8) and MACD suggesting potential bearish momentum indicate the market is currently digesting recent gains.
• Merck is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Revolution Medicines (RVMD) for approximately $30 billion, a strategic move aimed at bolstering its oncology pipeline and offsetting the 2028 patent cliff of its flagship drug Keytruda.
• UBS reiterated a Buy rating and $130 price target on MRK, citing the high potential of its cancer drug pipeline and the recent FDA voucher for the treatment Sac-TMT.
• Merck executives are scheduled to participate in a fireside chat at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on January 12, 2026, to discuss the company's research and growth strategy.
• The FDA has announced a new flexible framework to reduce regulatory barriers for cell and gene therapy manufacturing, aiming to accelerate the delivery of personalized treatments to patients.
• Eli Lilly (LLY) confirmed the acquisition of Ventyx Biosciences for $1.2 billion, signaling continued aggressive M&A activity within the pharmaceutical sector to secure next-generation therapies.

• MRK Stock Price 24h change: -0.41%. From 110.99 USD to 110.53 USD.
• The slight decline on Friday followed a strong mid-week rally where the stock outperformed the broader market. The retreat appears to be a minor consolidation after reaching a 52-week high of 112.90 USD on January 8, driven by profit-taking and technical resistance near recent peaks.
• From a technical perspective, MRK remains in a "strongly bullish" medium-term trend, trading above its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. However, with an RSI near 72, the stock is currently in overbought territory, suggesting a potential short-term pullback or sideways consolidation to digest recent double-digit monthly gains.
• Merck initiated the Phase 3 KANDLELIT-007 trial evaluating calderasib (MK-1084) in combination with KEYTRUDA for first-line lung cancer treatment, marking a key expansion of its oncology pipeline.
• Wolfe Research upgraded MRK to "Outperform" with a 135 USD price target, while UBS raised its target to 130 USD, citing strong institutional conviction and valuation attractiveness relative to peers.
• Merck is set to complete its acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics next week, an inorganic growth move aimed at expanding its infectious disease portfolio.
• Novo Nordisk launched a pill version of its weight-loss drug Wegovy at 149 USD per month for U.S. cash-paying customers, intensifying competition in the high-growth GLP-1 sector.
• The S&P 500 Healthcare Index (XLV) gained approximately 1.5% this week as investors shifted from high-valuation tech stocks to defensive growth opportunities, despite a 1.3 billion USD R&D charge reported by AbbVie impacting its Q4 outlook.