Where is Merck & Co. (MRK) Headed According to Wall Street?

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the best long term low volatility stocks to invest in. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced on January 27 that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share of the company’s common stock for fiscal Q2 2026. Management reported that the payment will be made on April 7, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 16, 2026.

Why Merck & Co (MRK) Continues to Rank Among the Most Profitable Dividend Stocks

The same day, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) received positive rating updates from Cantor Fitzgerald and Citi. Cantor lifted the price target on the stock to $116 from $83, maintaining a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm told investors that it anticipates near-term guidance to align with a below-consensus outlook, which may create a temporary overhang. It added that performance in 2026 should hinge on additional de-risking of the late-stage pipeline and incremental business development, areas that were behind much of the stock’s gains in 2025.

Citi also raised the price target on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to $115 from $110 on January 27, and maintained a Neutral rating while adjusting price targets in the biopharma group as part of a fiscal Q4 preview. The firm told investors that the group may have a favorable setup in 2026 due to estimates that are “beatable” and lower policy risk.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a biopharmaceutical company that delivers health solutions to advance the treatment and prevention of diseases in animals and people. Its Pharmaceutical segment offers vaccines and human health pharmaceutical products, typically therapeutic and preventive agents. Its Animal Health segment develops, discovers, manufactures, and markets a range of vaccines and veterinary pharmaceutical products.

While we acknowledge the potential of MRK to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MRK and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.