5 Dividend Stocks Redditors Buy for Early Retirement

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

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 80

Dividend Yield as of March 11: 3.53%

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a healthcare company that develops animal and human health products. The main therapeutic focus areas at Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) include oncology, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes.

On January 25, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.69 per share, distributable on April 7, to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15.

JPMorgan analyst Chris Schott lowered the price target on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) to $95 from $100 and kept an Overweight rating on the shares on January 28. The analyst does not expect any major surprises with the 2022 guidance based on the positive momentum he’s seeing in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)’s core business and with near-term upside from Molnupiravir sales.

The fourth quarter database of Insider Monkey suggests that 80 hedge funds were bullish on Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), up from 77 funds in the prior quarter. Fisher Asset Management is the biggest shareholder of the company, owning 11.40 million shares worth $874.4 million.