Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish 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 17 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 11% leaning bullish and 88% bearish. Among these notable options, 13 are puts, totaling $1,026,935, and 4 are calls, amounting to $168,710.
Projected Price Targets
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $105.0 and $120.0 for Merck & Co, spanning the last three months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
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 $105.0 to $120.0 in the last 30 days.
Merck & Co Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Biggest Options Spotted:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $110.00 | $144.0K | 50 | 120 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $110.00 | $92.7K | 50 | 577 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $110.00 | $86.4K | 50 | 805 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $110.00 | $86.4K | 50 | 704 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/16/26 | $110.00 | $86.4K | 50 | 402 |
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.
Merck & Co's Current Market Status
- Trading volume stands at 1,127,896, with MRK's price down by -0.15%, positioned at $107.54.
- RSI indicators show the stock to be may be overbought.
- Earnings announcement expected in 37 days.
Expert Opinions on Merck & Co
A total of 1 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $135.0.
- An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its action to Overweight with a price target 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.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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