Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) The analysts wrote, ?As the Pharmaceuticals Industry looks towards restructuring and separation of undervalued assets we have prepared a highly proprietary sum of the parts analysis for our coverage universe to find the best opportunities. As a result we have upgraded Bayer and Merck & Co. to Buy from Hold and Eli Lilly to Hold from U/P, though it remains our least preferred stock. Novartis and Abbott are now our Top European and US picks respectively.? Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) traded up 0.98% on Tuesday, hitting $47.62. Merck & Co has a 52-week low of $37.02 and a 52-week high of $48.79. The stock?s 50-day moving average is currently $46.64. The company has a market cap of $143.8 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.06. Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 1st. The company reported $0.85 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $0.79 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $10.70 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.09 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.99 earnings per share. The company?s quarterly revenue was down 9.0% on a year-over-year basis. Merck & Co has set its FY13 guidance at $3.45-3.55 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Merck & Co will post $3.50 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Analysts at TheStreet reiterated a ?buy? rating on shares of Merck & Co in a research note to investors on Friday. Separately, analysts at Leerink Swann reiterated a ?market perform? rating on shares of Merck & Co in a research note to investors on Monday, May 20th. Finally, analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an ?outperform? rating on shares of Merck & Co in a research note to investors on Thursday, May 16th. They now have a $49.00 price target on the stock.
Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company?s stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of ?Buy? and an average price target of $50.31.
The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which is scheduled for Monday, July 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 17th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.61%. Merck & Co, Inc. (NYSE: MRK) is a global health care company that delivers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products, which it markets directly and through its joint ventures.