Cantor raises target for Merck & Co. stock to USD 145.00

Published on 10/08/2026 at 15:34 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Cantor kept Neutral and set a USD 145.00 target on October 8, 2026. Merck & Co. stock costs EUR 126.69 on October 8, 2026 versus EUR 127.66.

Isometrische 3D-Illustration einer pharmazeutischen Wertschöpfungskette mit Fabrik und Lastwagen — Isometrische 3D-Grafik der Wertschöpfungskette stellt Prozesse von Merck & Co. Inc., ISIN US58933Y1055, schematisch dar, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Merck & Co. (ISIN US58933Y1055) was trading at EUR 126.69 at Lang & Schwarz on October 8, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. CEST, down 0.76 percent from the prior close of EUR 127.66 on October 7, 2026. On October 8, 2026, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Carter Gould kept a Neutral rating and raised the price target from USD 120.00 to USD 145.00, according to GuruFocus.

Three milestones shape the pipeline

On August 4, 2026, Merck reported second-quarter revenue of USD 16.61 billion, ahead of the USD 16.37 billion consensus estimate, while adjusted earnings per share were a loss of USD 0.13 versus an expected loss of USD 0.26, according to MarketBeat. On September 30, 2026, Merck said its investigational tulisokibart produced a 72.00 percent HiSCR50 response in the high-dose group versus 35.00 percent for placebo in a Phase 2b hidradenitis suppurativa study, as reported by Drugs.com. The October 8 target action is the third dated milestone and puts pipeline execution beside the established revenue base.

What does the target increase change?

Cantor's USD 25.00 increase equals 20.83 percent relative to its former USD 120.00 target. The new USD 145.00 target is still a Neutral-rated valuation reference, so the rating did not move with the target, according to GuruFocus. Merck's latest quarterly sales comparison also matters: USD 16.61 billion was USD 0.24 billion above consensus, while year-over-year revenue growth was 5.10 percent, according to MarketBeat.

Two dates are already set

Merck's investor-relations calendar lists an investor event at ESMO 2026 for October 26, 2026 and the third-quarter 2026 sales and earnings conference call for October 29, 2026, according to Merck & Co.. The October 29 call is the next scheduled reporting date and follows the second-quarter revenue figure of USD 16.61 billion.

Stock remains below its yearly high

Merck & Co. was trading at EUR 126.69 at Lang & Schwarz on October 8, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. CEST, minus 0.76 percent versus the Lang & Schwarz prior close of EUR 127.66 on October 7, 2026. On the NYSE, MRK had a market capitalization of USD 352.7 billion and a 52-week range of USD 82.01 to USD 156.92 as of October 7, 2026. The company is listed on the NYSE and operates in pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Merck & Co. stock.