Merck & Co. will acquire oncology specialist ArQule in a $2.7 billion deal.
Merck said it will pay $20 for each ArQule share, which would be a premium of more than 100% to the stock's closing price of $9.66 Friday on the Nasdaq.
ArQule specializes in research and development of targeted therapeutics for treatment of cancers and rare diseases. It will be merged into the broader Merck & Co.
The deal is expected to close early in the first quarter of 2020. The merger would allow Merck access to ArQule’s experimental treatment ARQ 531, a precision medicine that customizes treatment to a patient’s genetic profile.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for MRK turned positive on November 21, 2024. Looking at past instances where MRK's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in of 44 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
The RSI Indicator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where MRK's RSI Indicator exited the oversold zone, of 32 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are .
Following a 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where MRK advanced for three days, in of 323 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are .
MRK may jump back above the lower band and head toward the middle band. Traders may consider buying the stock or exploring call options.
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In of 66 cases where MRK's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on December 10, 2024. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on MRK as a result. In of 83 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where MRK declined for three days, the price rose further in of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are .
The Aroon Indicator for MRK entered a downward trend on November 26, 2024. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is slightly undervalued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (8.826) is normal, around the industry mean (5.632). MRK's P/E Ratio (935.643) is considerably higher than the industry average of (48.974). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.105) is also within normal values, averaging (3.004). Dividend Yield (0.023) settles around the average of (0.164) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (5.549) is also within normal values, averaging (3.643).
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating very strong sales and a profitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating well-balanced risk and returns. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 74, placing this stock slightly better than average.
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating fairly steady price growth. MRK’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is significantly overvalued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
a developer of human and animal health products
Industry PharmaceuticalsMajor