Merck & Co. stock gains as Japan clears Keytruda injection

Published on 09/23/2026 at 11:52 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Merck & Co. stock reached USD 151.00 on September 23, 2026, with a USD 372.32 billion market cap. Q2 revenue rose 5.1 percent year over year.

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. (ISIN US58933Y1055) traded at USD 151.00 on the NYSE on September 23, 2026, while its market capitalization stood at USD 372.32 billion. The company stock remained close to its 52-week high of USD 156.92, with the session ranging from USD 148.04 to USD 153.57.

Japan approval supports the stock

According to Yahoo Finance on September 22, 2026, Japan approved KEYTRUDA QLEX, the first subcutaneous KEYTRUDA formulation for all existing local indications. The decision adds a faster under-skin dosing option to Merck's leading oncology franchise.

The market context is important because the stock's 52-week range runs from USD 77.58 to USD 156.92. At USD 151.00 on September 23, 2026, the shares were USD 5.92 below the high and USD 73.42 above the low, placing the quotation near the upper end of its annual range.

Revenue rose 5.1 percent

Merck reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of USD 16.61 billion, according to MarketBeat on September 22, 2026. Quarterly revenue increased 5.1 percent from the same quarter of the prior year, while reported EPS of negative USD 0.13 exceeded the consensus estimate of negative USD 0.26 by USD 0.13.

The earnings comparison cuts in two directions. Revenue expanded by 5.1 percent year over year, but the reported quarterly EPS was below the USD 2.13 recorded in the same quarter of the prior year, according to MarketBeat on September 22, 2026. Merck's fiscal 2026 EPS guidance was listed at USD 2.66 to USD 2.76.

Analyst targets remain divided

According to Investing.com on September 22, 2026, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a Neutral rating with a USD 120.00 price target. The same report said Guggenheim raised its target to USD 170, Berenberg lifted its target to USD 137 and Wolfe Research raised its target to USD 180, while UBS moved to Neutral with a USD 150 target.

This spread shows why the Japan approval is only one part of the valuation debate. MarketBeat reported a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target of USD 154.24, while also citing a price-to-earnings ratio of 121.02 on September 22, 2026.

Merck stock stays near yearly high

Merck & Co. stock traded at USD 151.00 on the NYSE as of September 23, 2026. Volume reached 11.17 million shares, compared with an average volume of 10.91 million, and the 52-week range remained USD 77.58 to USD 156.92.