15 Best Blue-Chip Stocks with Growing Dividends

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

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 92

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is among the best blue-chip stocks to invest in.

On December 12, Morgan Stanley lifted its price target on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to $102 from $100. The firm kept an Equal Weight rating on the stock. In its 2026 outlook for the biopharma space, the firm said many of the policy concerns that weighed on the sector this year are likely to fade, allowing investors to shift their attention back to company fundamentals.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has already been gaining momentum, with shares soaring by over 22% over the past six months. A big reason is Keytruda, its oncology drug, which now accounts for roughly half of the company’s revenue and has become one of the most important cancer treatments on the market. Its effectiveness and flexibility stand out, with approvals across 20 different cancer types.

Beyond Keytruda, Merck has been actively building out its pipeline. The company recently agreed to acquire Cidara Therapeutics for about $9.2 billion in cash. Cidara is developing CD388, a long-acting antiviral aimed at preventing influenza. It is not an mRNA product and, technically, not a vaccine either. Instead, it is designed to offer broader and longer-lasting protection across multiple flu strains and patient groups compared with traditional flu shots.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a global biopharmaceutical company centered on discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines, vaccines, and animal health products, with the goal of improving and saving lives worldwide.