Merck stock climbs on Wolfe upgrade as Cidara deal closes and Gardasil questions linger
Merck shares rose 1.5% to $110.20 after Wolfe Research upgraded the stock and set a $135 price target. Merck completed its $221.50-per-share tender offer for Cidara and flagged a $9 billion R&D charge for 2026. Investors watched fallout from a U.S. shift to a single-dose HPV vaccine recommendation ahead of Merck’s Feb. 3 results.