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Research Alert: CFRA Retains Buy Rating On Shares Of Merck & Co. Inc. Following Q1 Earnings

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-- CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:

We keep our target price at $135, 13.4x our 2027 EPS estimate, a discount to MRK's 10-year historical forward P/E average. We maintain our 2026 EPS estimate at $5.14 and our 2027 EPS view at $10.06. MRK reported a solid Q1 for 2026, characterized by top-line revenue growth and significant progress in its pipeline and portfolio transformation. Total revenues reached $16.3 billion (+5% Y/Y) due to continued strength in the Oncology and Animal Health divisions, alongside growing contributions from new product launches. The company is actively executing a successful strategy of diversifying its growth drivers beyond its flagship drug, KEYTRUDA, through both internal and external development.We think the Terns acquisition, expected to close during Q2, will further strengthen MRK's hematology pipeline with TERN-701 for chronic myeloid leukemia asset, demonstrating continued external innovation efforts in the company's strategic transformation journey.

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