10 Best and Cheap Stocks to Buy Now

5. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)

FWD P/E Ratio: 8.88

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 93

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the 10 Best and Cheap Stocks to Buy Now. On June 18, Akash Tewari, an analyst from Jefferies, maintained the Buy rating on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) with a price target of $138. The positive outlook is based on the stability of the company’s vaccine sales and the anticipated launch of a subcutaneous version of Keytruda.

There had been some speculations regarding the change in the number of vaccine doses by The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This concerned Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) as a reduction in the number of Gardasil doses could have resulted in lower sales and vaccine revenue. However, analyst Akash Tewari noted that the upcoming ACIP meeting agenda does not include a discussion on HPV vaccine, implying that the speculated change is not coming anytime soon.

Moreover, Tewari anticipates the sooner-than-expected introduction of a subcutaneous version of Keytruda. The analyst believes that this will enable Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to capture a greater market share and will drive the company’s revenue higher.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is an international healthcare company that develops and sells prescription medicine, vaccines, and animal health products. It operates through two main segments including the Pharmaceutical and Animal Health Segment.