Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

Merck & Co Inc (MRK)

4K + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in MRK. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↑ +156
Streak
2Q ▲
Buyers last Q
50%

Smart Money Signals — MRK

Based on 3771 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q
For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added MRK than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

100% of all-time peak
3,771 hedge funds hold MRK right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
📶

Steady growth — +12% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
+403 new funds entered over the past year (+12% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 50% buying

1800 buying1791 selling
Last quarter: 1,800 funds bought or added vs 1,791 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
⚠️

Fewer new buyers each quarter (-194 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 210 → 207 → 540 → 346. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.
🔒

72% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 72% conviction (2yr+) ■ 15% medium ■ 14% new
2,705 out of 3,771 hedge funds have held MRK for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
🚀

Acceleration phase — new buyers rushing in

216 → 210 → 207 → 540 → 346 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 210 → 207 → 540 → 346. The pace of institutional discovery is accelerating sharply. This is the 'hot idea' phase — the thesis is being passed from fund to fund. You are not late — the accumulation wave is still building.
🏛️

Deep conviction — 73% of holders stayed 2+ years

■ 73% veterans ■ 11% 1-2yr ■ 16% new
Of 3,858 current holders: 2,832 (73%) have held for over 2 years without selling. These are not momentum buyers — they have lived through drawdowns and stayed. A large veteran base acts as a stabilizing force during selloffs.
🏆

Elite ownership — 50% AUM from top-100 funds

50% from top-100 AUM funds
70 of 3771 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 50% of total institutional value in MRK. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
3.6
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.6/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — MRK

In 2026 Q1, 1800 hedge funds were net buyers of MRK (346 opened a new position, 1454 added to an existing one), while 1791 reduced or exited (1601 trimmed, 190 sold completely) — a 50% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. Net buying has persisted for two consecutive quarters, a positive momentum signal. 50% of total institutional value in MRK is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +156 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 3771.

Hedge Fund Ownership: MRK

How many hedge funds hold MRK — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of MRK vs. share price

Market Analysis: MRK

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: MRK

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy Merck & Co Inc (MRK) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much MRK has moved relative to its sector benchmark (XLV) since the 2026 Q1 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End March 31, 2026 · 74d ago
MRK
+0.4%
XLV
+4.9%

MRK outperformed XLV by -4.5% since March 31, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date May 15, 2026 · 29d ago
MRK
+8.4%
XLV
+6.0%

Since the filing became public, MRK outperformed XLV by +2.4% .

Interpretation: The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Strong Institutional Conviction

Multiple high-quality funds hold meaningful positions with strong conviction.

156 top-rated funds 62 high-conviction
Consensus
9.5
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
8.0
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: MRK
4K + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in MRK. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 3741 3615 3.49%
13F Shares 1.91B 2.01B -5.07%
Total Value $220.30B $208.27B 5.78%
New Positions 337 540 -203
Increased Positions 1416 1356 +60
Closed Positions 211 189 +22
Reduced Positions 1565 1379 +186
Total Calls 50 53 -5.66%
Total Puts 52 48 8.33%
PUT/CALL Ratio 1.04 0.91 Neutral

Statistics: MRK

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Financial Highlights

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Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

4K + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in MRK. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
Top 25 MRK holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Wallace Advisory Group, LLC 14.83% 115,409 $13.9M
2 Radnor Capital Management, LLC 9.25% 519,443 $62.5M
3 Clark & Stuart, Inc 8.41% 103,085 $12.5M
4 Slocum, Gordon & Co LLP 7.73% 94,448 $11.4M
5 Sector Gamma As 7.39% 260,340 $31.3M
6 Bruce & Co., Inc. 6.63% 192,800 $23.2M
7 Smead Capital Management, Inc. 6.47% 2,471,398 $297.3M
8 Round Hill Asset Management 5.67% 72,015 $8.7M
9 Adalta Capital Management LLC 5.13% 88,591 $10.7M
10 Kahn Brothers Group Inc 4.85% 227,288 $27.3M
11 Cacti Asset Management LLC 4.70% 645,299 $77.6M
12 Thornburg Investment Management Inc 4.66% 3,728,673 $448.5M
13 W Advisors, LLC 4.47% 72,563 $8.7M
14 Compass Capital Management, Inc 4.29% 589,768 $70.9M
15 Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc 4.25% 246,748 $29.7M
16 Eliot Finkel Investment Counsel, LLC 4.07% 62,145 $7.5M
17 Westend Capital Management, LLC 4.06% 112,368 $13.5M
18 Castlefield Investment Partners LLP 4.02% 43,693 $5.3M
19 Boit C F David 3.75% 70,283 $8.5M
20 Cadinha & Co LLC 3.74% 166,864 $20.1M
21 Patrick M Sweeney & Associates, Inc 3.71% 48,057 $5.8M
22 Thomas Story & Son LLC 3.63% 78,545 $9.4M
23 Employees Provident Fund Board 3.59% 1,587,508 $84.0M
24 Monarch Capital Management Inc 3.57% 120,559 $14.6M
25 Pincus Capital Management, LP 3.56% 42,496 $5.1M
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — Merck & Co Inc (MRK)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for MRK?

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added MRK than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for MRK?

Slight buying edge — 50% buying: Last quarter: 1,800 funds bought or added vs 1,791 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for MRK holders?

Elite ownership — 50% AUM from top-100 funds: 70 of 3771 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 50% of total institutional value in MRK. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held MRK?

72% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 2,705 out of 3,771 hedge funds have held MRK for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy Merck & Co Inc (MRK) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, MRK has moved +8.4% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +6.0% for the XLV sector ETF — an outperformance of +2.4%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), MRK has gained +0.4% vs +4.9% for XLV. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

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