Merck & Co. stock trades at USD 148.74 after pipeline updates

Published on 09/28/2026 at 12:21 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Merck & Co. stock was at USD 148.74 on September 25, 2026, with a USD 367.4 billion market cap. Guggenheim lifted its target to USD 170 from USD 146.

Photorealistic wide-angle view of a modern oncology research laboratory. A scientist in white lab coat examines cancer cell slides under a fluorescence microscope. Amber glass vials with pharmaceutical compounds line the stainless steel bench. Biosafety c — Merck US58933Y1055 Onkologie-Labor: Wissenschaftler am Mikroskop analysiert Krebszellen, mehrere Wirkstoff-Vials stehen auf der Werkbank, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Merck & Co. stock (ISIN US58933Y1055) was trading at USD 148.74 on the NYSE on September 25, 2026 at 3:59 p.m. ET, with a daily change of 0.51 percent. The latest pipeline signal came from a U.S. FDA approval for WELIREG plus LENVIMA in certain previously treated patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, according to Merck & Co. on September 25, 2026.

WELIREG adds a growth signal

The approval expands the labeled use of WELIREG in combination with LENVIMA after treatment, adding a regulatory milestone to Merck's oncology portfolio. It follows the company's September 24, 2026 announcement that remigromig met the primary endpoint in the BRUNELLO study for diabetic macular edema, giving investors two late-quarter development updates.

The commercial backdrop is measurable. Merck reported Q2 2026 worldwide sales of USD 16.6 billion, while the company's investor-relations page described continued strength in oncology and animal health alongside contributions from newer launches.

Revenue and targets set the bar

Q2 revenue reached USD 16.61 billion, up 5.1 percent year over year and above the USD 16.37 billion consensus estimate, according to MarketBeat in its September 8, 2026 report. Merck's full-year 2026 adjusted revenue guidance stands at USD 66.3 billion to USD 67.3 billion, a 2 percent to 4 percent growth range.

Analyst expectations have also moved higher. Investing.com reported on September 8, 2026 that Guggenheim raised its target to USD 170 from USD 146 and retained a Buy rating after positive melanoma-treatment data. The same report identified expected Keytruda competition and pricing pressure as a counter-factor for the longer-term earnings story.

Stock remains below its yearly high

Merck's latest quote was 5.21 percent below its 52-week high of USD 156.92 and above its 52-week low of USD 77.69. At a market capitalization of USD 367.4 billion and volume of 7,771,634 shares on September 25, 2026, the valuation already reflects a substantial part of the pipeline optimism.