Retirement Stock Portfolio: 5 Healthcare Stocks To Consider

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

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 85

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), a distinguished American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, has roots dating back to the Merck Group, established in Germany in 1668. Originally the American arm of this venerable group, the company operates under the names Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada. It holds a prominent position in the pharmaceutical industry, specializing in the development of medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products.

Showcasing a consistent pattern of dividend growth for 11 consecutive years, the company currently provides a quarterly dividend of $0.77 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.62% as of January 8.

Insider Monkey sifted through 910 hedge funds for their third-quarter 2023 investments, revealing that 85 had invested in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), up from 78 in the previous quarter.