5 Best Performing Dow Stocks in 2022

2. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)

YTD Total Return as of December 25, 2022: 50.61%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 82

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a global healthcare company based in Kenilworth, New Jersey. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) was founded in 1891 as a chemical company but has since evolved into a leading pharmaceutical and healthcare company. The company’s business is organized into three main segments: Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, and Healthcare Services.

On December 20, 2022, Carter Gould, an analyst at Barclays, increased his price target on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to $128 while keeping an Overweight rating on the company’s stick. The analyst believes that the company will be able to achieve high levels of subcutaneous use in the future.

At the end of Q3 2022, 82 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database were long Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK). Fisher Asset Management remained the leading stakeholder of the company at the end of Q3 2022.