Are Wall Street Analysts Predicting Merck & Co. Stock Will Climb or Sink?

Core Insights - Merck & Co., Inc. has a market capitalization of $214.8 billion and is focused on innovative biopharmaceuticals, emphasizing integrity and patient care [1] - The company's stock has underperformed, declining nearly 18% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 Index has increased by 17.7% [2] - Despite reporting better-than-expected Q3 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.58 and revenue of $17.28 billion, the stock fell due to lowered revenue forecasts and concerns over key product sales [4] Financial Performance - For the fiscal year ending December 2025, analysts project a 17.1% year-over-year growth in adjusted EPS to $8.96 [5] - Merck has a strong earnings surprise history, exceeding consensus estimates in the last four quarters [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus rating among 26 analysts is a "Moderate Buy," with 11 "Strong Buy" ratings, one "Moderate Buy," and 14 "Holds" [5] - The mean price target is $102.05, indicating an 18.7% premium to current price levels, while the highest price target suggests a potential upside of 59.3% [6]