Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with MRK, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Merck & Co.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 50% bullish and 12%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $39,100, and 7, calls, for a total amount of $940,561.
Expected Price Movements
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $95.0 and $130.0 for Merck & Co, spanning the last three months.
Volume & Open Interest Development
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Merck & Co's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Merck & Co's whale activity within a strike price range from $95.0 to $130.0 in the last 30 days.
Merck & Co Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview
Biggest Options Spotted:
| Symbol | PUT/CALL | Trade Type | Sentiment | Exp. Date | Ask | Bid | Price | Strike Price | Total Trade Price | Open Interest | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 01/17/25 | $36.6 | $35.3 | $35.3 | $95.00 | $388.3K | 323 | 9 |
| MRK | CALL | SWEEP | BULLISH | 07/19/24 | $34.6 | $34.15 | $34.6 | $95.00 | $380.6K | 143 | 9 |
| MRK | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/17/25 | $22.5 | $22.15 | $22.3 | $110.00 | $55.7K | 2.5K | 3 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | NEUTRAL | 06/28/24 | $2.3 | $2.29 | $2.3 | $130.00 | $39.0K | 150 | 12 |
| MRK | CALL | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 01/17/25 | $36.7 | $35.4 | $36.15 | $95.00 | $32.5K | 323 | 0 |
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.
Merck & Co's Current Market Status
- Currently trading with a volume of 1,874,557, the MRK's price is down by -0.08%, now at $129.26.
- RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.
- Anticipated earnings release is in 46 days.
What The Experts Say On Merck & Co
1 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $155.0.
- In a cautious move, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its rating to Overweight, setting a price target of $155.
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Merck & Co options trades with real-time alerts from Benzinga Pro.