Why Merck Stock Flew Higher on Friday

Merck's stock rose 2.18% on Friday following strong Q3 2026 earnings results that beat analyst expectations. The company reported 5% sales growth to over $18 billion, driven by its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda, and adjusted net income of $6.2 billion. Multiple analysts raised their price targets on the stock, with Bank of America Securities raising its target to $165 and JPMorgan Chase raising theirs to $175, both maintaining buy recommendations.