Jim Cramer Remembers COVID-19 & Discusses These 11 Stocks

7. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders In Q4 2024: 91

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. For most of the past year and 2025, its share price performance has depended on its cancer drugs and HPV vaccine called GARDASIL. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)’s stock has lost 30% over the past year as Chinese sales of its GARDASIL vaccine have been hampered due to a tough regulatory environment in the country. Here is what Cramer said about Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK):

“Although Merck, is, maybe the ultimate laggard. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Merck perform this badly. Here’s this stock, distinguished from the company, which actually got hurt by a decision by the Chinese to not give their people two hundred million vaccines, GARDASIL, RFK, maybe it’s kind of a reciprocal thing [laughs]. . .it’s great vaccine, you may not like vaccines, but great vaccine, and the, the Chinese have chosen not to use it, they haven’t, and some of it’s with a wholesaler that apparently can’t give anymore to because they don’t have enough money. But that’s the one I’m. . . .that used to be called saint Merck, and I know it’s not high growth anymore but wow, I think it’s worth looking at because it trades like a bad tack.”

“No, in the way of what’s really going with some of these drug companies. The loss of, they have a loss of exclusivity for an unbelievable drug KEYTRUDA, but it’s not for years. The only one in this group that acts at all well is Lilly, and I do think that when you’re meeting with the President . . .the drug companies meet with the President and it’s like you don’t know what he’s going to say after.”