Truist has downgraded Merck (NYSE:MRK) to hold from buy, citing upcoming loss of market exclusivity and continuing headwinds for its Gardisil vaccine. "While we believe MRK will navigate through the environment,

Fintel reports that on January 8, 2025, Truist Securities downgraded their outlook for Merck (NYSE:MRK) from Buy to Hold. Analyst Price Forecast Suggests 30.22% Upside As of December 23, 2024, the average one-year price target for Merck is $131.

Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine has been approved for men in China, it said on Wednesday, providing the U.S. drugmaker a much-needed boost in a key market where demand has been falling among women.

China’s drug regulator approved Merck & Co.’s blockbuster HPV vaccine for use by men, opening a new untapped market for the US drug giant after a rush among women to get the shot lost steam.

GARDASIL is the first HPV vaccine approved for the prevention of certain HPV-related cancers and diseases in Chinese males