We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Merck (MRK - Free Report) closed at $120.76 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.4% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.75%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 1.86%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 2.54%.
Shares of the pharmaceutical company have appreciated by 4.97% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Medical sector's gain of 3.73%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.63%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Merck in its upcoming release. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $2.1, showcasing a 1.41% downward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $16.28 billion, indicating a 3.02% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
MRK's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $5.17 per share and revenue of $66.79 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of -42.43% and +2.73%, respectively.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Merck. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.1% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Merck is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Merck is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 23.04. This signifies a premium in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 15.3 for its industry.
Investors should also note that MRK has a PEG ratio of 2.68 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry had an average PEG ratio of 2.61.
The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry is part of the Medical sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 83, which puts it in the top 35% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
Merck (MRK) Rises Yet Lags Behind Market: Some Facts Worth Knowing
Merck (MRK - Free Report) closed at $120.76 in the latest trading session, marking a +1.4% move from the prior day. The stock's performance was behind the S&P 500's daily gain of 1.75%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a gain of 1.86%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 2.54%.
Shares of the pharmaceutical company have appreciated by 4.97% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Medical sector's gain of 3.73%, and the S&P 500's loss of 1.63%.
Market participants will be closely following the financial results of Merck in its upcoming release. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $2.1, showcasing a 1.41% downward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Meanwhile, the latest consensus estimate predicts the revenue to be $16.28 billion, indicating a 3.02% increase compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
MRK's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $5.17 per share and revenue of $66.79 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of -42.43% and +2.73%, respectively.
Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Merck. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the business performance and profit potential.
Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To utilize this, we have created the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model that integrates these estimate changes and provides a functional rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, spanning from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), boasts an impressive track record of outperformance, audited externally, with #1 ranked stocks yielding an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the past month, there's been a 0.1% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. Merck is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
In terms of valuation, Merck is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 23.04. This signifies a premium in comparison to the average Forward P/E of 15.3 for its industry.
Investors should also note that MRK has a PEG ratio of 2.68 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. By the end of yesterday's trading, the Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry had an average PEG ratio of 2.61.
The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry is part of the Medical sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 83, which puts it in the top 35% of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.
Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.