Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Merck & Co. Our analysis of options history for Merck & Co (NYSE:MRK) revealed 23 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 47% of traders were bullish, while 30% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 11 were puts, with a value of $512,555, and 12 were calls, valued at $590,682.
Expected Price Movements
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $65.0 to $100.0 for Merck & Co over the last 3 months.
Insights into Volume & Open Interest
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. 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 trades within a strike price range from $65.0 to $100.0 in the last 30 days.
Merck & Co Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days
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 | 11/21/25 | $3.8 | $3.4 | $3.4 | $90.00 | $170.0K | 10.3K | 506 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BULLISH | 10/31/25 | $3.1 | $3.0 | $3.0 | $89.00 | $97.8K | 88 | 326 |
| MRK | CALL | SWEEP | BEARISH | 11/21/25 | $4.4 | $4.3 | $4.3 | $90.00 | $86.0K | 10.3K | 563 |
| MRK | PUT | SWEEP | BULLISH | 09/18/26 | $7.2 | $7.05 | $7.05 | $85.00 | $59.2K | 465 | 94 |
| MRK | PUT | TRADE | NEUTRAL | 12/19/25 | $12.1 | $10.9 | $11.5 | $100.00 | $57.5K | 1.5K | 125 |
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, led by Keytruda, is a major contributor to overall sales. The company also has a substantial vaccine business aimed at preventing pediatric diseases, as well as Gardasil for human papillomavirus. Additionally, Merck sells animal health-related drugs. From a geographical perspective, 47% of the company’s sales are generated from US human health (pharmaceuticals and vaccines).
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Merck & Co, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
Current Position of Merck & Co
- Trading volume stands at 3,155,662, with MRK’s price up by 1.24%, positioned at $90.62.
- RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching overbought.
- Earnings announcement expected in 27 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 $90.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge’s Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access.
* In a cautious move, an analyst from Berenberg downgraded its rating to Hold, setting a price target of $90.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Merck & Co, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.