How To Pick Top Pharma Stocks like a ProAnalyzing the pharmaceutical industry, whose products play a key role in improving the quality of life of people around the world, is quite challenging sometimes also it requires deep knowledge and a careful approach, as I believe that investors should consider many factors, starting with evaluating the efficacy of the analyzed company's medications, including in relation to its competitors and the "gold standards," and ending with an analysis of its financial indicators
In this article you will learn how to pick Top Pharma stocks like a pro trader and which factors you should consider, so buckle up
1/ Recognizing the risks
At the very beginning, an investor you must recognize that the pharmaceutical industry is highly competitive, where a company's investment attractiveness depends not only on the rate of expansion of its portfolio of product candidates, revenue growth, margins, the amount of total debt and cash on the balance sheet but is also heavily influenced by the expiration of patents on medications and vaccines.
Moreover, in recent months, the healthcare sector has increasingly felt the impact of the upcoming 2024 US presidential elections, as some politicians are aiming to further tighten regulation of drug prices despite the existing Inflation Reduction Act.
2/ Leveraging data to your advantage
The second step use data wisely, you should check all kinda data including stock screener, transcripts of earnings calls, financial results for the last quarters, analyst expectations, options data... The goal is to filter companies in poor financial condition, as well as those that trade at a significant premium to the sector and/or competitors
I would also like to point out that in the current market environment, with Fed interest rates remaining at multi year highs, I do not recommend investing in companies with market caps below $500 million, as they typically have limited cash reserves and weaker institutional backing
Also, I'd recommend investors read 10-Ks and 10-Qs, especially the section related to debt and sources of financing of the company's operations, to reduce the likelihood of an "unexpected" drop in the share price. A striking example is Invitae Corporation aka NVTAQ which declared bankruptcy in mid February 2024!
Was there a prerequisite for this? The answer is yes since the company continued to generate negative cash flow and also had convertible senior notes maturing in 2028.
Convertible notes can involve significant financial risks if the company cannot effectively use the cash to grow the business and break even. In this case, management will not be able to pay off the bonds with cash reserves and will have to resort to significant dilution of investors. In my opinion, Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. NASDAQ:PACB may face this problem because it has convertible senior notes maturing in 2028 and 2030.
Factors that concern me include the company's declining revenue and total cash and short-term investments in recent quarters, while its operating expenses remain extremely high at around $80 million per quarter.
Let's return to the second step in my approach to selecting the most promising assets in the healthcare sector.
When selecting companies with market caps between $4 billion and $40 billion, I use more parameters since most of them already have FDA approved drugs and/or vaccines.
As a result, it is also necessary to consider the rate of growth of operating income, net debt/EBITDA ratio, and how management copes with increased marketing and production costs.
Finally, let's move on to the last basket, which contains pharmaceutical companies with market capitalizations exceeding $40 billion. I think, this group is best suited for more conservative investors looking for assets offering attractive dividend yields and growing net income, supported by a rich portfolio of FDA approved and experimental drugs.
So, from Big Pharma, I like Pfizer Inc NYSE:PFE , AbbVie Inc NYSE:ABBV , Merck & Co NYSE:MRK and AstraZeneca PLC NASDAQ:AZN . I also want to include Novartis AG NYSE:NVS and Roche Holding AG OTC:RHHBY in this group
sometimes investors need to make exceptions, namely if one larger company buys out a smaller player and/or when a major partnership agreement is concluded, as was the case between Merck and Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited OTC:DSKYF in 2023.
Also, in the event of a major acquisition or merger, the company's debt may temporarily increase sharply. If its management has previously implemented effective R&D and financial policies, the "net debt/EBITDA ratio"
A remarkable example of a company falling into the "value trap" is Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited NYSE:TAK , which overpaid for Shire. This deal did not significantly strengthen or rejuvenate the Japanese company's portfolio of drugs.
As a result, it had to sell off billions of dollars in assets to pay off its debt partially. However, despite all the efforts of Takeda's management, its net debt/EBITDA ratio, although it fell below 5x, remains high, namely about 4.7x at the end of March 2024.
3/ Identifying promising therapeutic areas
In general, the more prevalent a disease is, the larger the total addressable market for a drug and, as a result, the higher the chances that it will become a commercially successful product.
Global spending on cancer medications will reach $377 billion by 2027, followed by immunology, and diabetes will come in third with an estimated spending of about $169 billion
What challenges arise when choosing pharmaceutical companies?
you should also keep in mind that the larger the market, the higher the competition between medicines, as companies strive to grab as big a piece of the pie as possible.
As a result, for drug sales to take off, they need to have significant competitive advantages over the "gold standard." These competitive advantages may include greater efficacy in treating a particular disease, less frequent administration, a more favorable safety profile, and a more convenient route of administration.
So, in recent years, competition in the global spinal muscular atrophy treatment market has intensified. Spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic condition. Currently, three drugs have been approved to combat the disorder, including Biogen Inc.'s (BIIB) Spinraza, Roche/PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s (PTCT) Evrysdi, and Novartis AG's (NVS) gene therapy Zolgensma.
All three products have similar efficacy, but Evrysdi has a more favorable safety profile and is the more convenient route of administration, namely the oral route, which is reflected in its sales growth rate from year to year.
The second pitfall is the company's pipeline of experimental drugs.
I believe that financial market participants opening an investor presentation that presents a company's pipeline, especially if its market cap is below $5 billion, should also pay close attention to what stage of clinical trial activity its experimental drugs are in.
if a pharmaceutical company has most of its product candidates in the early stages of development, this represents a significant risk because, in this case, institutional and retail investors are often overly optimistic about the prospects for the drugs' mechanisms of action and/or clinical data obtained in a small group of patients. Simultaneously, as is often the case, the higher the optimism, the less favorable the risk/reward profile.
In most cases, the larger and more diverse the patient population, the weaker the efficacy of a drug relative to what was seen in Phase 1/2 clinical trials. This ultimately leads to a downward valuation of its likelihood of approval and casts doubt on its ability to take significant market share from approved medications.
This may subsequently reduce the company's investment attractiveness, making it more difficult to attract financing for its operating activities.
As a result, I recommend excluding any company that, instead of focusing its financial resources on the most promising product candidates, conducts multiple early-stage clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of its experimental drugs.
In my experience, the most successful pharmaceutical companies focus their efforts on bringing up to three product candidates to market and then reinvesting the revenue from their commercialization into developing the rest of the pipeline.
The table below highlights the following parameters that I use to screen out the least promising companies.
A third factor that investors, especially those new to the investment world, should consider is that large pharmaceutical companies are leaders in certain therapeutic areas, with a rich portfolio of patents covering various mechanisms of action and delivery methods of drugs, making it more difficult and more prolonged for smaller players to find product candidates that could potentially have the competitive advantages.
So, Novo Nordisk A/S NYSE:NVO and Eli Lilly and Company NYSE:LLY have long been leaders in the global diabetes and weight loss drugs markets, and only very recently, they may be joined by Amgen Inc. NASDAQ:AMGN , Roche Holding, and several other companies
4/ Assessing a company's drug portfolio in comparison to competitors
Evaluating the effectiveness, safety profile, and mechanism of action of a medication, as well as comparing clinical data with its competitors, takes a lot of time and effort. I provided examples of drugs and the most promising mechanisms of action in the obesity treatment market. Their manufacturers are Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Roche Holding, Viking Therapeutics, Inc, Amgen, Pfizer, Altimmune, Inc, OPKO Health, Inc, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Zealand Pharma A/S
5/ When market exclusivity for a company's key medications ends
Every financial market participant who is considering investing in pharmaceutical companies should consider the expiration time of key patents of medicines.
Marketing exclusivity represents protection against the entry of a generic version and/or biosimilar of a branded drug into the market, thereby allowing the company to recoup the resources spent on its development and, in the event of its commercial success, also reinvest the money received to accelerate the development of the remaining product candidates.
Where can you find information about patent expiration dates?
All the necessary information is either in 20-Fs/10-Ks or on the FDA website, namely in the "Orange Book" section. let's take Eli Lilly as an example. Open the latest 10-K. Then, the CTRL + F combination opens the ability to find specific words in the document. I usually enter "Expiry Date" or "compound patent" to find the patent section.nvestors can also find information about patents on the FDA website.
As an example, I enter "Mounjaro" in the top line, and a list of patents opens that protect Eli Lilly's blockbuster from the introduction of its generic versions onto the market.hen, clicking on "Appl. No." will open information about the submission date of the patent and when it will expire.
6/ Evaluating the impact of insider share transactions
The next step in selecting the most interesting assets in the healthcare sector is to analyze Form-4s. The CEO, CFO, and other key members of the company's management buy or sell shares from time to time.I am only interested in analyzing purchases since, most often, sales by management are option exercises carried out to pay taxes.
When management starts making large outright purchases of a company's shares, it can signal that it believes in its long-term growth potential.if more than two top managers buy a large block of shares within two weeks of each other, it significantly increases the likelihood of the company's stock price rising in the next two months from the moment of their transactions
But as with everything, there are exceptions, such as in the case of OPKO Health, which is developing a long-acting oxyntomodulin analog for the treatment of obesity together with LeaderMed Group.Over the past 12 months, OPKO's management, especially CEO Phillip Frost, has purchased over 12 million shares.
However, despite this, its stock price has fallen by 27% over the same period. I believe that the key reasons for the divergence between these two facts are investors' lack of confidence in Phillip Frost's ability to make the company profitable again, as well as its low cash reserves. Therefore, companies like OPKO Health have already been eliminated at the second step of selection using Seeking Alpha's screener.
7/ CEO Performance in Business Development
The CEO plays a crucial role in the success of a pharmaceutical company since the pharmaceutical industry is highly dynamic, and the competition between Big Pharma is especially high, I advise readers to pay attention to the track record of the CEO, especially how he copes with force majeure situations, as well as how effective the R&D policy is carried out under his leadership.
8/ Identifying Entry and Exit Points for Long-Term Investments
The eighth step is in addition to the information that was obtained in the previous steps, as well as the analysis of financial risks and various financial metrics of the company, including its net debt, maturity dates of bonds, historical revenue growth rates, EBIT, gross margin, I build a DCF model with the ultimate goal of determining the price target.
it is necessary to conduct a technical analysis of them, as well as the main ETFs that include them. In my opinion, the key ETFs are the SPDR® S&P Biotech ETF AMEX:XBI , Fidelity Blue Chip Growth ETF AMEX:FBCG , iShares Biotechnology ETF NASDAQ:IBB , and VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF $PPH. The purpose of technical analysis is to determine the stop-loss level and entry points at which the risk/reward profile is most favorable. taking profit is not that easy cuz you must master your emotions and greed which damn hard
9/ Creating a Watchlist Based on Risk/Reward Ratio
The purpose of which is to create a watchlist of the companies I have selected based on the previous steps. I make several lists of companies based on their market caps and also rank them according to risk/reward profile, that is, in the first place is the stock that I think has minimal risks and at the same time can bring the greatest potential profit.
I also advise creating small notes on each company, which can include information about risks, support/resistance zones, dates of publication of clinical data, and any thoughts you have that will make your decision more conscious when opening a position
“What’s your secret sauce for choosing pharma stocks?”
MRK
MRK potential Buy setupReasons for bullish bias:
- Price bounced from the weekly trendline
- Strong weekly bullish closing
- Price is at horizontal support
- No divergence
Here are the recommended trading levels:
Entry Level(CMP): 117.07
Stop Loss Level: 108.81
Take Profit Level 1: 125.33
Take Profit Level 2: 133.00
Take Profit Level 3: Open
Despite Beating Q2 Expectations Merck Stock Slides
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Merck & Co. revised its full-year adjusted EPS projection to $7.94-$8.04, down from $8.53-$8.65.
- Second-quarter sales of its flagship drug, Keytruda, rose 16% year-over-year.
- The company beat Q2 expectations on both revenue and profit metrics.
Shares of Merck & Co. ( NYSE:MRK ) plummeted on Tuesday after the pharmaceutical giant slashed its full-year adjusted profit guidance. Despite delivering solid second-quarter earnings and revenue, the outlook revision overshadowed the company’s performance, causing a significant dip in its stock price.
Earnings and Revenue Beat Expectations
In the second quarter, Merck reported earnings per share (EPS) of $2.14 on revenue of $16.11 billion, surpassing analysts' expectations of $2.05 EPS and $15.88 billion in revenue, as per Visible Alpha. The company’s pharmaceutical division contributed $14.41 billion to the revenue, marking a 7% increase from the previous year.
Merck’s flagship cancer drug, Keytruda, was a standout performer with sales surging 16% to $7.27 billion. Another notable contribution came from Winrevair, a pulmonary arterial hypertension drug approved by the FDA in March, which generated $70 million in sales.
Guidance Cut and Stock Reaction
Despite the strong quarterly performance, Merck lowered its full-year adjusted EPS guidance to a range of $7.94-$8.04, down from the prior range of $8.53-$8.65. This adjustment reflects the impact of a one-time charge of approximately $1.3 billion, or $0.51 per share, related to the acquisition of EyeBio.
The market reacted sharply to this news, with Merck's shares dropping over 9% to $115.91 by late morning on Tuesday. The stock experienced its most significant loss in three years, falling as much as 7.7%, largely due to concerns over the reduced profit outlook and issues with Gardasil shipments in China.
Challenges and Strategic Moves
Merck’s reduced profit forecast was partly influenced by lower-than-expected sales of its Gardasil HPV vaccine in China. Chief Executive Officer Rob Davis highlighted a “surprising” decrease in Gardasil shipments to China due to issues with a third-party distributor. This unexpected downturn in one of the world’s most populous markets raised concerns about the long-term sales targets for Gardasil.
Merck ( NYSE:MRK ) has been proactive in seeking new growth avenues as its blockbuster drug Keytruda faces future pricing pressures. Last year, Merck spent nearly $11 billion to acquire Prometheus Biosciences Inc., a maker of treatments for autoimmune disorders. Additionally, Merck entered a deal with Daiichi Sankyo Co. worth up to $22 billion to collaborate on novel cancer medicines.
Updated Revenue Forecast and Future Prospects
Despite the lowered EPS guidance, Merck increased its full-year revenue forecast by $200 million at the median, to a range of $63.4 billion to $64.4 billion. The company’s next significant product, Winrevair, has shown promise, bringing in $70 million in its first full quarter on the U.S. market, exceeding analysts' expectations.
Adjusted earnings for Q2 were $2.28 per share, beating analysts’ average estimate by 11 cents. Revenue also outperformed expectations, bolstered by a 16% increase in Keytruda sales.
BMO analyst Evan Seigerman remarked on Merck’s consistent commercial performance, noting that the Winrevair launch exceeded even the highest expectations. He stated, “Another quarter of the same story. Merck commercial outperformance remains steady.”
Technical Outlook
As of the present time, the stock of Merck ( NYSE:MRK ) has experienced a considerable decline of 9.45%. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is currently at 30.09, indicating the stock is approaching the oversold region. Furthermore, a detailed inspection of the daily price chart reveals the presence of a long bearish Harami candlestick pattern, which is widely recognized as a significant reversal pattern in technical analysis.
Conclusion
Merck’s stock slide following the guidance cut underscores the market’s sensitivity to profit projections, even in the face of strong quarterly results. The company’s robust performance in Q2, driven by Keytruda and the successful launch of Winrevair, demonstrates Merck’s potential for growth despite current challenges. However, the reduced profit outlook and issues with Gardasil shipments in China highlight the hurdles Merck must navigate to maintain its market position and investor confidence.
MRK Merck Options Ahead of EarningsAnalyzing the options chain and the chart patterns of MRK Merck prior to the earnings report this week,
I would consider purchasing the 127usd strike price Calls with
an expiration date of 2024-8-16,
for a premium of approximately $2.64.
If these options prove to be profitable prior to the earnings release, I would sell at least half of them.
Merck's Keytruda Triumphs in Q4 Reports
Merck & Co ( NYSE:MRK ) has emerged victorious in its fourth-quarter performance, exceeding market expectations fueled by the remarkable success of its flagship cancer immunotherapy drug, Keytruda. The pharmaceutical giant reported robust financials, driven by a 21% surge in Keytruda sales, catapulting it to the status of the world's best-selling prescription medicine. This stellar performance not only defied analyst predictions but also positioned Merck ( NYSE:MRK ) as a frontrunner in the pharmaceutical industry.
Keytruda's Stellar Performance:
Keytruda's sales reached an impressive $6.6 billion in Q4, outpacing estimates and contributing to a total annual revenue of $25 billion. The drug's success is attributed to Merck's strategic efforts to expand its usage in earlier stage cancers. Despite its impending patent expiration by the end of the decade, Keytruda remains a formidable asset for Merck ( NYSE:MRK ), overshadowing even the peak sales of AbbVie's blockbuster arthritis drug, Humira.
Strategic Moves to Counter Patent Exclusivity Loss:
Aware of the looming patent exclusivity loss, Merck ( NYSE:MRK ) has proactively engaged in strategic initiatives to mitigate the impact. The pharmaceutical giant recently entered into multiple deals, including a significant $5.5 billion collaboration with Japan's Daiichi Sankyo for the co-development of three promising cancer drugs. These moves signify Merck's commitment to maintaining its competitive edge and market leadership in the evolving pharmaceutical landscape.
Optimistic Outlook and Pipeline Expansion:
Merck ( NYSE:MRK ) has revised its outlook for the mid-2030s, projecting adjusted annual sales for new oncology products to exceed $20 billion, up from the initial estimate of over $10 billion. The company has similarly elevated its mid-2030s forecast for cardiometabolic products to approximately $15 billion, demonstrating confidence in the potential of its diversified portfolio.
Financial Resilience and Restructuring Efforts:
Despite taking a charge of $1.69 a share related to the Daiichi deal, Merck ( NYSE:MRK ) reported adjusted earnings of 3 cents per share in Q4, defying expectations of an 11 cents per share loss. The company's Q4 revenue of $14.6 billion, a 6% increase from estimates, further underscores its financial resilience. Merck has also initiated a restructuring program aimed at optimizing manufacturing operations for both human and animal health, projecting completion by the end of 2031. While this program incurs approximately $4 billion in cumulative pre-tax costs, Merck's proactive stance signals a commitment to long-term operational efficiency.
Conclusion:
Merck's ( NYSE:MRK ) stellar Q4 results, fueled by Keytruda's exceptional sales performance and strategic initiatives, position the company for a decade of resilience in the face of impending challenges. The pharmaceutical giant's optimistic outlook, robust financials, and proactive measures to address patent exclusivity loss underscore its commitment to innovation, strategic partnerships, and sustained growth.
The Healthcare Sector Index $XLV - Worth Watching SPDR Select Sector Fund – Healthcare Index AMEX:XLV
The chart speaks for itself, we have our breakout levels and our break down levels. We enter on a breakout and set a stop 5% under that support and we exit and or short if we fall under the two underside support levels.
Below I outline some reasons why the healthcare sector is worth paying attention too.
The healthcare industry is worth $808 billion in the United States as of 2021. 65% of the industry’s revenue comes from patient care. The global healthcare industry is worth $12 trillion.
In the U.S National health expenditures are projected to grow 5.4 percent, on average, over the course of 2023–31 and to account for roughly 20 percent of the economy by the end of that period. The insured share of the population is anticipated to exceed 92 percent through 2023 (figures pending), in part as a result of record-high Medicaid enrolment, and then decline toward 90 percent as coverage requirements related to the COVID-19 public health emergency expire.
The growth of the health-care sector is evident in employment data as well. In 1990, about 8 million Americans worked in health care; that figure has since doubled to 16 million. That’s the largest single employment segment in our economy.
In addition to the above, the west in general is an aging populace that is living longer. We will need these services more than we need staples during a recession. I believe this index can help us gauge the healthcare sector and what direction it will go next. We can watch the levels outlines and make a play if we wish. We have a hard upper boundary and lower boundary on a parallel channel on the chart. You know what to do when we breach any of these levels.
Outlined on the chart
XLV fund provides exposure to companies in
pharmaceuticals, health care equipment and supplies,
health care providers and services, biotechnology, life
sciences tools and services, and health care
technology industries. XLV is the oldest in the
segment, as such it is used widely for strategic or
tactical positions. Since XLV is both cap weighted
and fishes only from the S&P 500, it tilts heavily
toward mega-caps. For focused exposure to
leading health care names, XLV is tough to beat.
Top Five Holdings
UnitedHealth Group Inc NYSE:UNH 9.63%
Eli Lilly and Co NYSE:LLY 9.19%
Johnson & Johnson NYSE:JNJ 7.46%
Merck & Co NYSE:MRK 5.46%
AbbVie Inc 5.41%
Stay Healthy and Nimble Folks
PUKA
Merck to Acquire Harpoon Therapeutics in $680M DealNavigating the Oncology Frontier with Harpoon Therapeutics Acquisition
In a significant strategic move, pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. ( NYSE:MRK ) has announced its plans to acquire cancer drugmaker Harpoon Therapeutics Inc. ( NASDAQ:HARP ) in a transformative deal valued at $680 million. The move aims to solidify Merck's leadership position in the highly lucrative oncology space, diversifying its portfolio and positioning itself for sustained growth in the face of potential challenges for its flagship cancer immunotherapy, Keytruda.
The Deal Overview:
Merck's acquisition of Harpoon Therapeutics involves a payment of $23 per share, more than double Harpoon's last closing share price, signaling Merck's strong commitment to the strategic partnership. The deal is currently pending, awaiting approval from Harpoon shareholders, with the expected closure in the first half of 2024.
Keytruda and Beyond:
Merck's pursuit of Harpoon Therapeutics aligns with its broader strategy of seeking new sources of growth. With Keytruda generating a substantial $20.9 billion in 2022, Merck recognizes the importance of expanding its pipeline to maintain a competitive edge. Harpoon's promising early-stage trials and T-cell engager assets present Merck with an opportunity to diversify its oncology offerings and explore new avenues of therapeutic innovation.
Analyst Insights:
Merck's acquisition of Harpoon is a strategic and value-driven move. The early but promising data from Harpoon's T-cell engager assets, coupled with investor interest in similar technologies, positions Merck for potential growth in the oncology market.
Building a Robust Portfolio:
Merck's proactive approach to portfolio expansion is evident in its recent deals, including the acquisition of Daiichi Sankyo Co.'s experimental cancer drugs and the purchase of autoimmune drugmaker Prometheus. These moves showcase Merck's commitment to staying at the forefront of medical innovation and bolstering its position in key therapeutic areas.
Investor Sentiment and Momentum:
As evidenced by the stock's current trading position near the top of its 52-week range and above its 200-day simple moving average, investor sentiment towards Merck is positive.
Conclusion:
Merck's acquisition of Harpoon Therapeutics marks a pivotal moment in the pharmaceutical landscape, where innovation and strategic partnerships are crucial for sustained growth. By expanding its oncology portfolio with cutting-edge technologies, Merck positions itself as a leader in the fight against cancer, ensuring a robust pipeline and securing its role as a key player in the evolving healthcare landscape. As the deal progresses towards closure, investors and industry observers will keenly watch Merck's journey into a new era of therapeutic possibilities.
MRK SELLHi, according to my analysis of mrk stock. The stock looks negative. The stock broke the bottom at the 106 level. It also broke the ascending channel to the upside, as shown in the analysis. These are all indications that the stock is still under pressure from sellers. good luck for everbody
MERCK waves a strong short-term bullish flag.Merck and Company (MRK) is trading within a Channel Down since the May 03 High. Even though the price didn't touch the bottom (Lower Lows trend-line) of the Channel Down, having completed 4 straight green 1D candles indicates that most likely we have seen the new low of this sequence. Assuming the current bullish wave will make at least a +7.10% extension like the previous two, then we are only halfway there, so we still have a solid short-term buy opportunity in our hands.
As the 1D MACD is about to complete a Bullish Cross, the buy entry is validated. Our target is 108.00, still under the 1D MA200 (orange trend-line).
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Merck: Water slide 🛝The pool-season is about to start, and Merck has already secured its place on the water slide, which should take it further downwards below the support at $110.66. However, there is still a 35% chance that the share might catch a bubbling fountain which could push it above the resistance at $119.65. In that case, we would expect Merck to develop a new top in the form of wave alt.B in green in the green zone between $119.87 and $123.79 first before turning downwards again.
Profits Over Patients: The Morally Complex Realm of Big PharmaThis strategy dissects the dual nature of big pharmaceutical firms like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna, and Merck & Co viewed through base Fibonacci Extension Clustering. Despite big pharma's significant contributions to healthcare, these firms have benefited from questionable practices, including price manipulation and exploiting addictions . Price manipulation is a notorious strategy where companies arbitrarily hike drug prices, often without any significant improvements in their efficacy.
"Big Pharma" has faced backlash for allegedly contributing to the opioid crisis . By aggressively marketing highly addictive pain medications , they may have exacerbated a public health catastrophe, leading to thousands of deaths annually.
Such practices illuminate the immoral landscape of the pharmaceutical industry. While these firms play a vital role in global healthcare, their business tactics often prioritize profits over patients, demanding a closer scrutiny of this sector's ethics.
1. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Around $440 billion
2. Pfizer Inc. (PFE): Around $240 billion
3. Moderna Inc. (MRNA): Around $110 billion
4. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK): Around $200 billion
TOTAL = 1 Trillion
MRK - Rising Trend Channel [MID TERM]- MRK is in a rising trend channel in the medium long term.
- The price has risen strongly since the positive signal from the rectangle formation at the break through resistance at 95.58.
- The stock has broken up through resistance at 115.
- Volume tops and volume bottoms correspond badly with tops and bottoms in the price.
- The short term momentum of the stock is strongly positive, with RSI above 70.
- This indicates increasing optimism among investors and further price increase for MRK. However, particularly for big stocks, high RSI may be a sign that the stock is overbought and that there is a chance of a reaction downwards.
- Overall assessed as technically positive for the medium long term.
*EP: Enter Price, SL: Support, TP: Take Profit, CL: Cut Loss, TF: Time Frame, RST: Resistance, RTS: Resistance to be Support LT TP: Long Term Target Price
*Chart Pattern:
DT - Double Top | BEARISH | RED
DB - Double Bottom | BULLISH | GREEN
HNS - Head & Shoulder | BEARISH | RED
REC - Rectangle | BLUE
iHNS - inverse head & Shoulder | BULLISH | GREEN
Verify it first and believe later.
WavePoint ❤️
$MRK UndervaluedHigh Quality and Undervalued NYSE:MRK
These eight indicators are all Bullish.
If you owned NYSE:MRK for the last 5 years, then you have doubled your investment.
There is no guarantee of the future but it looks like the near future target price is $121
Earnings Date: 27th April 2023
On-balance volume (OBV): Bullish
Accumulation/distribution line: Bullish
Average directional index (ADX): Bullish
Aroon oscillator: Bullish
Moving average convergence divergence (MACD): Bullish
Relative strength index (RSI): Bullish
Stochastic oscillator: Bullish
Trend based on moving average crossover strategy: Bullish
4/5 Watchlist + NotesInitial Notes - Personally did not trade today, Analysis was on point, rest of week should be exciting
SPY - So it looks like scenario 3 that I mentioned on my list last night played out today. We saw both targets to the upside and downside get hit. Premarket we were about 15 cents off of the upside target before opening and pushing higher than yesterdays high. We then saw a sell off during the day to hit our downside target and also create a bearish engulfing, which was scenario 3 mentioned yesterday. I did not get to trade today due to being extremely busy with my personal life, but I was still very happy to see that my analysis was on point, making us 2/2 on the week for predictions. (FOR TOMORROW) Tomorrow I am looking for downside, plain and simple. With the bearish engulfing now created, overextension/exhaustion starting to kick in, and potential for us to create a failed 2U on the weekly chart all tells me that we have some decently bearish catalysts for tomorrow's session. I do not have a specific target for tomorrow to the downside, but if you look at the chart attached to this watchlist, you can see that we formed a broadening expansion on the daily. I am hoping to get close to, test, or surpass the bottom trend line. We must keep in mind that although these engulfing setups typically play out well (The last 7 on SPY's daily have resulted in correct movement in the engulfing candles direction or inside days following), it does not guarantee that we follow suit and see downside. We are still not confirmed reversing yet on longer time frames, but today could very well be the beginning, or sign that we are close to reversing. OVERALL: I want to see us head further down. My rough estimate/target to the downside is 406.43. IF we are lucky then we could see as low as 404.
Watchlist + Bias
MRK 2-1 Daily: Neutral
CRM 2-1 Daily: Bearish
MRNA 2-1 Daily: Neutral
UNH 2-1 Daily: Slightly Bearish
DOCU - 1-3 Daily and 2-1-1 Weekly: BEARISH
SQ - 3-1 Weekly: Neutral
Previous and Tomorrows Main Watch: DOCU + SHOP
SHOP - Neutral on this one. It played out the way we wanted too, but did not hit the target we expected, and was choppy all day. Overall I count this as a win because it followed our criteria and played out as expected, but was hard to catch an entry on if anyone did/tried to, and did not move as much as I had hoped for.
DOCU - We STILL have not broken out of the weekly inside setup. Today ended the same as SPY. Bearish Engulfing, with SPY looking like it could reverse any day now, I have to be bearish on DOCU as well. As far as winner/loser status goes for today, I respectfully think this one was an L. It opened under long entry and pushed up slightly above that entry during the first 10 mins of market open before being shot down along with SPY. I personally did not take this trade, but I can see why it may have been a losing trade. For tomorrow, I think a test of the weekly short entry is inevitable, and I will be watching closely to get in some 1-2 week out puts, as well as some close expiry contracts for a day trade. Weekly short trigger is at 56.01. Targets set at 55.24 and 54.86
Watchlist Stats:
2/2 SPY Predictions
2/3 Main Watch Plays
Top Winner: SQ 23%+
Personal Stats:
0/1 on the week
Overall Red
- Did not trade today so stats remain the same.
Lets make some money tomorrow! Good Luck all!
(MRK) - Price Targets & Stop Loss 📈 What’s up investors! 📉
Welcome back to another one of
💡“Mike’s Ideas”.💡
I post as I find signals… these signals are based on the personal rules I have built and follow in order to make up what I call the “SST Strategy”. Follow for more ideas in the future!!
I have 4 levels marked and colour coded on the Chart.
These levels are:
🔴 Red = Stop Loss
🟢 Green = 1.2:1 Risk Reward Ratio
🟡 Yellow = 1.5:1 Risk Reward Ratio
🔵 Blue = 2:1 Risk Reward Ratio
👀 So what are we looking at today…!!!
🚨(MRK) Merck & Co., Inc.🚨
Operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in the areas of oncology, hospital acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes, as well as vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and health management solutions and services, as well as digitally connected identification, traceability, and monitoring products. It serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, and government agencies; managed health care providers, such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, and other institutions; and physicians and physician distributors, veterinarians, and animal producers. The company has collaborations with AstraZeneca PLC; Bayer AG; Eisai Co., Ltd.; Ridgeback Biotherapeutics; and Gilead Sciences, Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize long-acting treatments in HIV. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey.
MRK | Time for Puts | MerckMerck & Co., Inc. operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in the areas of oncology, hospital acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes, as well as vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and health management solutions and services, as well as digitally connected identification, traceability, and monitoring products. It serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, and government agencies; managed health care providers, such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, and other institutions; and physicians and physician distributors, veterinarians, and animal producers. The company has collaborations with AstraZeneca PLC; Bayer AG; Eisai Co., Ltd.; Ridgeback Biotherapeutics; and Gilead Sciences, Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize long-acting treatments in HIV. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey.
Merck has Potential. MRKDivergent on the downside across multiple timeframes. Betting on a triangle B formation, now due for a C Wave to the upside. No confirmation yet. Speculating that this might be a very short term event.
We are not in the business of getting every prediction right, no one ever does and that is not the aim of the game. The Fibonacci targets are highlighted in purple with invalidation in red. Confirmation level, where relevant, is a pink dotted, finite line. Fibonacci goals, it is prudent to suggest, are nothing more than mere fractally evident and therefore statistically likely levels that the market will go to. Having said that, the market will always do what it wants and always has a mind of its own. Therefore, none of this is financial advice, so do your own research and rely only on your own analysis. Trading is a true one man sport. Good luck out there and stay safe.
Merck & Company Analyze💊!!!Merck & Co., Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey. It is named after the Merck family, which set up Merck Group in Germany in 1668. The company does business as Merck Sharp & Dohme outside the United States and Canada.
Merck was able to break the support lines. For now, it completed its pullback to support lines.
I expect that Merck will go down at least to the lower line of descending channel.
Merck & Company Analyze ( MRKUSD) Timeframe 4H⏰.
Do not forget to put Stop loss for your positions (For every position you want to open).
Please follow your strategy, this is just my idea, and I will be glad to see your ideas in this post.
Please do not forget the ✅' like '✅ button 🙏😊 & Share it with your friends; thanks, and Trade safe.
Merck and Company slowing down? Merck and Company
Short Term
We look to Sell at 93.34 (stop at 96.33)
We look to sell rallies. Price action looks to be forming a top. Although the bulls are in control, the stalling positive momentum indicates a turnaround is possible. There is scope for mild buying at the open but gains should be limited.
Our profit targets will be 86.55 and 83.96
Resistance: 92.00 / 95.00 / 100.00
Support: 86.50 / 83.50 / 80.00
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Merck heading down as well. MRKOne more huge pharma firm that is biting the dust. A giant flat with a C wave confirmed. No way but down on this one.
We are not in the business of getting every prediction right, no one ever does and that is not the aim of the game. The Fibonacci targets are highlighted in purple with invalidation in red. Confirmation level, where relevant, is a pink dotted, finite line. Fibonacci goals, it is prudent to suggest, are nothing more than mere fractally evident and therefore statistically likely levels that the market will go to. Having said that, the market will always do what it wants and always has a mind of its own. Therefore, none of this is financial advice, so do your own research and rely only on your own analysis. Trading is a true one man sport. Good luck out there and stay safe.