High-ranking investors have positioned themselves bullishly on Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK), and it’s important for retail traders to take note. \This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga’s tracking of publicly available options data. The identity of these investors is uncertain, but such an important step in the MRK often indicates that someone has privileged information.
Today, Benzinga’s options scanner spotted nine options trades for Merck & Co. This is not a typical pattern.
Sentiment among these major traders is divided: 66% bullish and 11% bearish. Of all the options we identified, there was one put, worth $292,250, and eight calls, for a total of $662,901.
Projected price targets
After evaluating trading volumes and Open Interest, it is clear that the main market moves are focused on a price range between $85.0 and $110.0 for Merck & Co, over the last three months.
Volume and open interest development
In terms of liquidity and interest, the average open interest for Merck & Co options trades today is 7,184.25 with a total volume of 2,408.00.
In the following chart we can track the development of the volume and open interest of call and put options for Merck & Co’s large money trades within a strike price range of $85.0 to $110.0 over the past 30 days.
Merck & Co Call and Put Volume: 30-day overview
Largest observed option trades:
| Symbol | BUY/BELL | Trade type | Sentiment | Execution Date | To ask | Bid | Price | Exercise price | Total trading price | Open interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | PUT DOWN | TRADE | BULLISH | 20/02/26 | $1.76 | $1.65 | $1.67 | $100.00 | $292.2K | 2.6K | 1.7K |
| MRK | PHONE CALL | TRADE | BEARISH | 17/04/26 | $5.45 | $5.3 | $5.35 | $110.00 | $149.8K | 31.4K | 316 |
| MRK | PHONE CALL | TRADE | BULLISH | 21/01/28 | $28.9 | $28.05 | $28.9 | $85.00 | $147.3K | 505 | 41 |
| MRK | PHONE CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 21/01/28 | $28.9 | $28.05 | $28.9 | $85.00 | $118.5K | 505 | 41 |
| MRK | PHONE CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 20/02/26 | $6.05 | $5.95 | $6.05 | $105.00 | $76.8K | 6.7K | 183 |
About Merck & Co
Merck makes pharmaceutical products for the treatment of various conditions in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardiometabolic diseases, cancer and infections. In cancer, the company’s immuno-oncology platform, led by Keytruda, is a significant contributor to overall revenue. The company also has a significant vaccine business aimed at preventing childhood diseases, as well as Gardasil for human papillomavirus. In addition, Merck sells medicines related to animal health. From a geographic perspective, 47% of the company’s revenue is generated from US healthcare (pharmaceuticals and vaccines).
Following our analysis of the options business associated with Merck & Co, let’s take a closer look at the company’s own performance.
Where does Merck & Co currently stand?
- Currently trading on volume of 1,550,860, MRK price is up 0.07%, now at $106.86.
- RSI readings suggest that the stock may be overbought at the moment.
- The expected earnings release is in 36 days.
What analysts say about Merck & Co
Over the past month, five industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, suggesting an average target price of $118.4.
From €1000 to €1270 in just 20 days?
20-year-old professional options trader reveals his one-line charting technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which averaged a profit of 27% every 20 days. Click here for access. *A B of A Securities analyst maintains a buy rating on Merck & Co and maintains a $120 price target. * Consistent with their assessment, a Scotiabank analyst maintains a Sector Outperform rating on Merck & Co with a $120 price target. *A Goldman Sachs analyst maintains a buy rating on Merck & Co and maintains a $120 price target. * A BMO Capital analyst shows optimism and raises his rating to Outperform with a revised price target of $130. *A Morgan Stanley analyst maintains their Equal-Weight rating on Merck & Co and maintains a $102 price target.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just stock trading, but they have a higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, tracking more than one indicator, and watching the markets closely.
If you want to stay on top of the latest options trades for Merck & Co, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time alerts on options trades.
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