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 8 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 12% leaning bullish and 75% bearish. Among these notable options, 3 are puts, totaling $179,100, and 5 are calls, amounting to $323,698.
Predicted Price Range
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $75.0 to $115.0 for Merck & Co during the past quarter.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Merck & Co's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Merck & Co's significant trades, within a strike price range of $75.0 to $115.0, over the past month.
Merck & Co Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days
Significant Options Trades Detected:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 08/15/25 | $0.82 | $0.81 | $0.82 | $90.00 | $163.2K | 16.9K | 2.1K |
| MRK | PUT | TRADE | BEARISH | 11/21/25 | $32.3 | $31.75 | $32.3 | $115.00 | $77.5K | 0 | 48 |
| MRK | PUT | TRADE | BEARISH | 11/21/25 | $31.7 | $31.35 | $31.7 | $115.00 | $76.0K | 0 | 24 |
| MRK | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 03/20/26 | $13.85 | $13.65 | $13.72 | $75.00 | $67.2K | 617 | 49 |
| MRK | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 09/18/26 | $11.55 | $11.5 | $11.55 | $80.00 | $34.6K | 48 | 33 |
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.
In light of the recent options history for Merck & Co, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
Current Position of Merck & Co
- With a volume of 1,772,033, the price of MRK is down -1.7% at $82.25.
- RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.
- Next earnings are expected to be released in 14 days.
What Analysts Are Saying About Merck & Co
Over the past month, 1 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $98.0.
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Edge Rankings
Price Trend
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