Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)

Merck's stock price has declined by 36.38% between July 22, 2024, and July 18, 2025, partly due to concerns about global tariff risks and a 2% decrease in first-quarter sales. In July 2025, Merck shares sank 11% after vaccine shipments to China were halted due to lower demand. Merck announced the initiation of Phase 3 trials for an investigational once-monthly HIV prevention pill on July 14, 2025. On July 10, 2025, the FDA approved BRAVECTO® QUANTUM from Merck Animal Health, and accepted a New Drug Application for Doravirine/Islatravir. Merck struck a $10 billion deal for respiratory drugmaker Verona on July 9, 2025. In June 2025, Merck held talks to buy Swiss biotech MoonLake for more than $3 billion. Deutsche Bank downgraded its outlook for Merck from Buy to Hold on February 18, 2025. Merck's Q1 2025 earnings per share (EPS) of $2.22 beat the $2.14 forecast, and revenue of $15.5 billion exceeded projections despite a 2% year-over-year decrease on April 24, 2025. On June 25, 2025, the stock traded below its 50-day average since mid-March due to lowered 2025 guidance, concerns about the long-term performance of Keytruda and Gardasil, and weak sales of Gardasil in China.

The provided search results do not contain explicit information about the demand seasonality for Merck & Co., Inc.'s products and services. However, the pharmaceutical industry, in general, can experience some seasonality related to factors like flu season for vaccines or annual healthcare budgeting cycles.

Merck & Co., Inc., also known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, founded in 1891. It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies worldwide, ranking fourth among biomedical companies by revenue, and operates primarily in the Medical sector, specifically within the Large Cap Pharma industry. The company focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of prescription medicines, vaccines, and animal health products, with key products including cancer immunotherapies like Keytruda and vaccines such as Gardasil. Merck is also involved in the production of high-performance materials and technologies for the life sciences industry.

Merck & Co., Inc. operates globally, serving customers in 66 countries with a strong presence in both developed and developing nations. The company's operations are managed across seven regions: United States, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), China, Latin America, Japan, Asia Pacific (other than China and Japan), and Other. In fiscal year 2024, the United States was the largest region by revenue, contributing $32.28 billion, followed by EMEA with $14.04 billion, and China with $5.49 billion. Merck also has significant revenue contributions from Latin America ($3.46 billion), Japan ($3.28 billion), and Asia Pacific (other than China and Japan) ($3.06 billion).

Merck maintains a strong commitment to scientific innovation and public health, aspiring to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company globally. Concerns about global tariff risks and declining sales of Gardasil in China have affected Merck's reputation. The looming patent cliff for Keytruda in 2028 poses significant revenue challenges, and the company faces rising competitive and generic pressure on some of its drugs. Despite these challenges, Merck is actively working to diversify its portfolio and advance its robust pipeline.

Merck & Co., Inc. is heavily dominated by institutional owners, who hold approximately 77.19% to 78% of the shares, while retail investors own 22.59%, and Merck & Co. insiders own 0.22%. The largest institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group Inc, BlackRock, Inc., and State Street Corp.