Merck & Co. stock faces a new Keytruda injunction in Europe

Published on 10/07/2026 at 16:47 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Merck & Co. stock faced a Dutch injunction affecting Keytruda SC sales in eight European markets on October 7, 2026. Q2 revenue reached USD 16.61 billion, up 5.1 percent year over year.

Black and white documentary photograph of a scientist in protective gloves and mask working inside a laminar flow biosafety cabinet. Precise hands pipette cell culture medium into multi-well plates. CO2 incubators line the background in dramatic side-lit — Merck US58933Y1055 Zellkultur schwarzweiß: Forscherin pipettiert konzentriert in steriler Biosicherheitswerkbank, dokumentarische Reportage, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Merck & Co. (ISIN US58933Y1055) stock was trading at USD 142.81 on the NYSE on October 7, 2026 at 10:46 a.m. ET, up 0.62 percent from the prior close. The immediate catalyst is a Dutch court injunction restricting Keytruda SC manufacturing and sales in eight European markets, according to Halozyme on October 7, 2026.

Keytruda SC hits a legal barrier

The specialized Dutch patent court in The Hague found that Merck infringed Halozyme's EP622 patent and ordered MSD BV to stop manufacturing, offering, placing on the market, using, importing or stocking Keytruda SC in Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

The ruling targets the subcutaneous version of Keytruda, not the established intravenous formulation. Reuters reported on October 7, 2026 that patients would retain access to the intravenous version, while Merck did not immediately comment.

Revenue gives the stock support

Merck's latest reported quarter was Q2 2026. Revenue reached USD 16.61 billion, up 5.1 percent year over year and above the USD 16.37 billion analyst estimate, according to MarketBeat.

The next investor checkpoints are already dated. Merck's investor relations page lists an Investor Event at ESMO 2026 for October 26, 2026, while the company scheduled its Q3 2026 sales and earnings call for October 29, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. ET, according to Merck and Business Wire.

Analysts see limited upside

MarketBeat reports a Moderate Buy consensus from 27 analysts, including 16 Buy ratings and 11 Holds. The average 12-month target is USD 146.36, with a high of USD 180.00 and a low of USD 92.00; the average target is 2.48 percent above the USD 142.81 price.

The valuation debate therefore has two sides: Q2 revenue growth and upcoming pipeline events support the operating case, while the injunction adds execution risk to the planned subcutaneous Keytruda rollout. Merck's stock also remains below its 52-week high of USD 156.92 and above its 52-week low of USD 82.01, a spread that keeps the legal development relevant for both growth and risk assessments.

Merck stock trades at USD 142.81

Merck & Co. stock was last at USD 142.81 on the NYSE on October 7, 2026 at 10:46 a.m. ET, with a market capitalization of USD 352.7 billion and volume of 1,318,623 shares.