ALK (ALKB:DC / OMX: ALK B) today announced the appointment of Edward Jordan as new Executive Vice President (EVP) and head of Commercial Operations in North America as per 5 January 2026. Edward Jordan succeeds Søren Niegel who has temporarily assumed the position following the decision, effective 1 October 2025, to elevate ALK’s two key commercial regions, Europe and North America. into the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) to further strengthen the execution of ALK’s Allergy+ strategy. Edward Jordan, an Ame ...

Merck Showcases Data for Alzheimer's Disease Candidates MK-2214 and MK-1167 at CTAD 2025 Share Dec 1, 2025 6:45 AM Eastern Standard Time Merck granted Fast Track Designation by the U.S. FDA for MK-2214 for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced plans to present first-in-human data for MK-2214 and MK-1167 at Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) 2025 in San Diego, California from Dec. ...

Core Viewpoint - Merck is showing signs of recovery after facing challenges in its vaccine business and competition for its key drug, Keytruda, with recent developments boosting its prospects and share price [1][2]. Group 1: Recent Developments - Merck's acquisition of Acceleron Pharma for $11.5 billion has led to the approval of sotatercept, a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which has generated $976 million in sales in the first nine months of 2025 [3][4]. - Sotatercept has successfully completed a phase 2 study for combined post- and precapillary pulmonary hypertension (CpcPH), a rare condition with no current approved treatments, potentially adding over $1 billion to annual sales if it passes phase 3 studies [5][6][7]. Group 2: Strategic Acquisitions and New Products - Merck's acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics for approximately $9.2 billion will provide access to CD388, a potential therapy aimed at improving influenza vaccine efficacy [10][11]. - The company is also awaiting FDA approval for a combination treatment for HIV, which could further enhance its product portfolio [12]. Group 3: Financial Performance and Market Position - Merck's current market capitalization stands at $260 billion, with a gross margin of 75.81% and a dividend yield of 3.09% [12]. - The company has increased its dividend payouts by 84.7% over the past decade, positioning itself as a reliable blue-chip income stock [15].

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer discussed, along with the need for diversification. Cramer highlighted that he is fond of the stock, as he said: “You could own JNJ and Merck with their incredible franchises. You know what? I’m actually particularly fond of JNJ right now. They’re spinning off their commoditized artificial joint business.” Photo by Adam Nowakowski on Unsplash Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) develops and sells healthcare products, including pharmaceuticals and m ...

Merck & Co., Inc. ( MRK ) grabbed my attention because it gained a Strong Buy rating from Seeking Alpha Quant earlier in November. I have never covered this stock or invested in it, and I decidedWith a decade at a Big 4 audit firm specializing in the banking, mining, and energy sectors, I bring a strong foundation in finance and strategy. Currently, I serve as the Head of Finance for a leading owner and operator of retail real estate, where I oversee complex financial operations and strategy. I’ve been an a ...

Group 1 - Merck (MRK) received a Strong Buy rating from Seeking Alpha Quant in November, indicating positive market sentiment towards the stock [1] - The analyst has a decade of experience in finance and strategy, particularly in banking, mining, and energy sectors, which provides a solid foundation for evaluating Merck [1] - The analyst aims to uncover promising stocks that may not yet be recognized by the broader market, reflecting a focus on value and growth opportunities [1] Group 2 - The analyst has been an active investor in the U.S. stock market for 13 years, emphasizing a balanced investment approach [1] - The investment philosophy is based on thorough research and a long-term perspective, which has been beneficial in navigating various market cycles [1]

Take a Trial Today Get instant access to exclusive stock lists, expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20! BREAKING: Futures Rise Slightly After Long Trading Halt An already abridged bond and stock market trading session was hit with early issues Friday morning as Chicago Mercantile Exchange trading halted due to a data center cooling issue. U.S. stock markets are due to close at 1 p.m. ET with bond markets closing at 2 p.m. ET. However, The CME — the globe's larges ...

Core Insights - Halper Sadeh LLC is investigating potential violations of federal securities laws and breaches of fiduciary duties related to the sales of Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., Semrush Holdings, Inc., and Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. [1][2] Group 1: Company Transactions - Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. is being sold to Akzo Nobel N.V. for 0.6539 shares of AkzoNobel stock for each share of Axalta common stock [1] - Semrush Holdings, Inc. is being sold to Adobe for $12.00 per share [2] - Cidara Therapeutics, Inc. is being sold to Merck for $221.50 per share in cash [2] Group 2: Legal Actions and Shareholder Rights - Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures, and other relief on behalf of shareholders [3] - Shareholders are encouraged to contact Halper Sadeh LLC to discuss their legal rights and options [4]

Market Overview - The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed on November 26th, 2025, with a gain of 314.67 points (0.6679%), reaching 47427.12, driven by investor optimism regarding a potential Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December [1] - Despite mixed economic data, the sentiment around monetary policy easing contributed to a broader rally in U.S. equities ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday [1] Contributing Factors - Expectations of a rate cut, a sustained AI-led rally, and solid corporate earnings reports were key contributors to the market's strong performance [2] - Technology companies experienced renewed interest, extending a multi-day winning streak for major indexes, with advancers significantly outnumbering decliners on the NYSE [2] Company Performance - Boeing (BA) led the Dow's components with a gain of +2.58%, followed by Walmart (WMT) at +2.29% and Microsoft (MSFT) at +1.96% [3] - Goldman Sachs (GS) and Home Depot (HD) also saw increases of +1.66% and +1.51%, respectively [3] - Salesforce (CRM) was the biggest laggard, dropping -2.68%, potentially due to company-specific news or sector rotation, with IBM (IBM) and Merck & Co. (MRK) also declining by -0.39% and -0.24% [3]

Core Insights - Merck's Gardasil vaccine is experiencing significant sales declines, particularly in China and Japan, with a projected negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.1% over the next three years [1][4] Sales Performance - Gardasil sales fell by 3% in 2024 and 40% year-over-year in the first nine months of 2025, primarily due to weak demand in China and Japan [1][9] - The economic slowdown in China has led to higher-than-normal inventory levels for Merck's partner, Zhifei, prompting Merck to halt shipments of Gardasil in China until at least the end of 2025 [2][3] Competitive Landscape - Merck's other vaccines, including ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, RotaTeq, and Pneumovax 23, also saw sales declines in the first nine months of 2025 [6][9] - Merck's new RSV antibody, Enflonsia, recorded $79 million in sales in Q3 2025 but faces competition from AstraZeneca/Sanofi's Beyfortus, which achieved €1.09 billion in sales in the same period, up 33.8% year-over-year [6][7] Valuation and Market Performance - Year-to-date, Merck's shares have increased by 6.3%, underperforming the industry average of 15.9% [8] - Merck's price-to-earnings ratio stands at 11.97, lower than the industry average of 16.98 and its 5-year mean of 12.56, indicating a potentially attractive valuation [10] Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Merck's 2025 earnings per share has slightly increased from $8.94 to $8.98, while the estimate for 2026 has decreased from $9.56 to $8.81 over the past 60 days [11]