Merck & Co. stock gets a USD 2.13 billion KRAS deal boost

Published on 09/29/2026 at 15:30 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Merck & Co. stock trades at EUR 131.05 at Lang & Schwarz on September 29, 2026, plus 0.54 percent versus EUR 130.35. Q2 sales reached USD 16.61 billion.

Photorealistic wide-angle view of a modern oncology research laboratory. A scientist in white lab coat examines cancer cell slides under a fluorescence microscope. Amber glass vials with pharmaceutical compounds line the stainless steel bench. Biosafety c — Merck US58933Y1055 Onkologie-Labor: Wissenschaftler am Mikroskop analysiert Krebszellen, mehrere Wirkstoff-Vials stehen auf der Werkbank, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Merck & Co. (ISIN US58933Y1055) was trading at EUR 131.05 at Lang & Schwarz on September 29, 2026, up 0.54 percent versus the prior close of EUR 130.35. The company has secured global rights to an investigational KRAS G12D cancer drug in a deal with total potential payments of USD 2.13 billion.

KRAS deal expands the pipeline

Merck and SciBrunch Therapeutics announced the agreement on September 28, 2026, according to Merck. The deal covers SPR2015, a preclinical oral KRAS G12D inhibitor, and includes a USD 400 million upfront payment plus milestone payments.

The agreement has already closed, while Merck expects to record a pre-tax charge of USD 400 million, or USD 0.13 per share, in third-quarter 2026 GAAP and non-GAAP results. That charge is a near-term earnings cost, but the asset adds another oncology program as Merck develops products beyond its established franchises.

Q2 revenue beat the consensus

Merck reported Q2 2026 revenue of USD 16.61 billion, compared with a consensus estimate of USD 16.37 billion, while sales increased 5.1 percent from the prior year. Adjusted EPS was minus USD 0.13 against a consensus loss of USD 0.26, according to MarketBeat.

Merck's investor-relations page identifies the company as NYSE-listed under the symbol MRK and dates its Q2 2026 earnings announcement to August 4, 2026. The page also reports Q2 worldwide sales of USD 16.6 billion, confirming the scale of the latest operating update.

Targets point above the stock

TD Cowen maintained a Hold rating and raised its price target from USD 137.00 to USD 155.00 on September 23, 2026, according to Futu News. The revised target is 13.65 percent above the Lang & Schwarz price, making the rating itself more cautious than the numerical target change.

Merck stock holds near its yearly high

Merck & Co. stock was trading at EUR 131.05 at Lang & Schwarz on September 29, 2026 at 3:16 p.m. CEST, plus 0.54 percent versus the prior close of EUR 130.35 on September 28, 2026. The company had a market capitalization of USD 366.8 billion, while its 52-week range stood at USD 78.40 to USD 156.92 as of September 29, 2026.