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]

Core Insights - Merck's stock surged by 41% over the past six months, primarily driven by increased profits and investor confidence rather than significant revenue growth [2][3] - Key factors contributing to the stock rise include Q3 earnings exceeding expectations, FDA approval of Keytruda's new formulation, and an upgrade from Wells Fargo [2] Financial Performance - Q3 2025 revenue reached $17.3 billion, reflecting a 4% increase, with non-GAAP EPS at $2.58 and guidance for 2025 raised [9] - The net margin increased by 8.6%, while the P/E multiple saw a substantial rise of 28% [3] Key Developments - The FDA approved KEYTRUDA+Padcev for MIBC, marking a first-in-class regimen that expands Keytruda's market potential [9] - Wells Fargo upgraded Merck to Overweight based on pipeline progress and growth confidence following Keytruda's developments [9] - The launch of subcutaneous KEYTRUDA QLEX in the EU is expected to enhance future revenues after loss of exclusivity [9] Historical Context - Despite recent gains, Merck's stock has shown vulnerability during past market downturns, including a 63% loss during the Global Financial Crisis and a 27% decline during the Covid pandemic [7]

Core Insights - Eli Lilly has joined the exclusive trillionaire club, becoming the first healthcare company to reach a market capitalization of $1 trillion, driven by the success of its GLP-1 drug, tirzepatide [1][2] Company Performance - Eli Lilly's share price increased by 1.7% on November 21, briefly reaching a market cap of $1 trillion, before settling around $950 billion later that day. The company regained the $1 trillion cap in intra-day trading on the following Monday [2] - The company's shares have risen 38% in 2025 and 645% over the past five years, indicating strong growth potential [3] Market Dynamics - Tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss, has become the best-selling drug globally, surpassing Merck's Keytruda [5] - The GLP-1 medication market, valued at approximately $52 billion in 2024, is projected to grow to $187 billion by 2032, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of nearly 17% [6] Competitive Position - Eli Lilly holds a dominant 58% share of the GLP-1 drug market as of the third quarter [6] - The company is set to release a pill form of its best-selling drug, further enhancing its market position [9] Regulatory Developments - In early November, Eli Lilly and competitor Novo Nordisk reached an agreement with the Trump administration to significantly reduce prices for their anti-obesity drugs for Medicare and Medicaid patients, in exchange for a three-year grace period from tariffs [10] - The price of Zepbound for Medicare and Medicaid patients will decrease from $1,000 to $299 for a month's supply, providing greater access to a large patient base [11]

Core Insights - The FDA has approved both intravenous and subcutaneous formulations of Merck's Keytruda in combination with Pfizer's Padcev for treating muscle-invasive bladder cancer in patients ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy [1][2][6] Regulatory Approvals - Keytruda and Keytruda Qlex have been approved as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatments for adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who cannot receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy [2][8] - This marks the first approval of a PD-1 inhibitor plus ADC regimen for this specific patient population [2] Clinical Trial Data - The approvals were based on the phase III KEYNOTE-905 trial, which demonstrated a 60% reduction in the risk of event-free survival and a 50% improvement in overall survival compared to surgery alone [4][7][6] Financial Performance - Keytruda generated sales of $23.30 billion in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase [9] - Padcev, part of Pfizer's oncology portfolio, generated $1.43 billion in sales during the same period, marking a 25% year-over-year increase [9] Market Context - Year to date, Merck's shares have decreased by 1.7%, while the industry has seen a rise of 16.1% [3]