Merck

MRK

Market cap $270B

During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a high dividend payout.

MRK is up over 32% in three months, but declining estimates, Keytruda's upcoming LOE and Gardasil declines keep the stock sell-rated.

Merck stock surged more than 10% in a month after management delivered a confidence shock on January 12th. They're now projecting that their next-generation drugs—treatments for cardiometabolic, respiratory, and infectious diseases—will yield $70 billion by the mid-2030s.

Keytruda drives over half of MRK's pharma revenues, but softer Q3 sales put investor focus on whether the blockbuster drug can lift Q4 sales performance.

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Presents at 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Transcript

Merck said on Monday it has raised its outlook for new growth drivers, forecasting $70 billion in revenue from these fresh businesses by the mid-2030s, as it accelerates the launch of additional drugs ahead of looming competition to its blockbuster cancer therapy Keytruda.

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