Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Merck & Co MRK, and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in MRK usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 11 extraordinary options activities for Merck & Co. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 54% leaning bullish and 45% bearish. Among these notable options, 9 are puts, totaling $763,708, and 2 are calls, amounting to $106,200.
Projected Price Targets
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $100.0 to $130.0 for Merck & Co over the recent three months.
Volume & Open Interest Trends
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Merck & Co's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Merck & Co's whale activity within a strike price range from $100.0 to $130.0 in the last 30 days.
Merck & Co Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Noteworthy Options Activity:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | PUT | TRADE | BULLISH | 01/17/25 | $7.2 | $7.0 | $7.05 | $130.00 | $160.0K | 365 | 877 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/17/25 | $7.2 | $7.05 | $7.1 | $130.00 | $113.6K | 365 | 360 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/17/25 | $7.1 | $7.05 | $7.1 | $130.00 | $94.4K | 365 | 478 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BULLISH | 01/16/26 | $8.85 | $8.8 | $8.85 | $125.00 | $92.4K | 1.0K | 106 |
| MRK | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/16/26 | $18.0 | $17.55 | $17.8 | $130.00 | $71.2K | 224 | 49 |
About Merck & Co
Merck makes pharmaceutical products to treat several conditions in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardiometabolic disease, cancer, and infections. Within cancer, the firm's immuno-oncology platform is growing as a major contributor to overall sales. The company also has a substantial vaccine business, with treatments to prevent pediatric diseases as well as human papillomavirus, or HPV. Additionally, Merck sells animal health-related drugs. From a geographical perspective, just under half of the company's sales are generated in the United States.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Merck & Co, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
Current Position of Merck & Co
- Currently trading with a volume of 4,072,408, the MRK's price is down by 0.0%, now at $131.75.
- RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought.
- Anticipated earnings release is in 28 days.
Expert Opinions on Merck & Co
Over the past month, 5 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $130.2.
- In a cautious move, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its rating to Overweight, setting a price target of $135.
- An analyst from Societe Generale downgraded its action to Sell with a price target of $104.
- Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald lowers its rating to Overweight with a new price target of $135.
- Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Truist Securities lowers its rating to Buy with a new price target of $142.
- Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Equal-Weight rating for Merck & Co, targeting a price of $135.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Merck & Co, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.
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