Merck (NYSE: MRK) EVP exercises stock options and sells 18,706 shares
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Merck & Co., Inc. executive David R. Maraldo, EVP & President Merck Manufacturing Division, reported exercising stock options for a total of 18,706 shares of common stock on August 5, 2026, at exercise prices of $73.73, $87.10, and $84.71 per share. He then sold the resulting 18,706 shares in open-market transactions at a weighted average price of $128.7179 per share, with sale prices ranging from $128.64 to $128.85 per share.
Positive
- None.
Negative
- None.
Insider Trade Summary
Exercise and Sale: 18,706 shares ($869K approx. pre-tax spread)
Exercise and Sale
9 txns
Insider
Maraldo David R.
Role
EVP & Pres. MMD
Sold
18,706 shs ($2.41M)
Approx. gross sale proceeds
$2.41M
Approx. exercise cost
$1.54M
Approx. pre-tax spread
$869K
| Type | Security | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) F2 | 6,311 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) F3 | 9,709 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Stock Option (Right to Buy) F4 | 2,686 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 6,311 | $73.73 | $465K |
| Sale | Common Stock F1 | 6,311 | $128.7179 | $812K |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 9,709 | $87.10 | $846K |
| Sale | Common Stock F1 | 9,709 | $128.7179 | $1.25M |
| Exercise | Common Stock | 2,686 | $84.71 | $228K |
| Sale | Common Stock F1 | 2,686 | $128.7179 | $346K |
Holdings After Transaction:
Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 8,528 shares (Direct);
Common Stock — 18,212.434 shares (Direct)
Footnotes (4)
- F1. The price reported is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $128.6400 to $128.8500, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to Merck & Co., Inc., any security holder of Merck & Co., Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the range set forth above in the footnote.
- F2. The option vested and became exercisable in three equal installments on 5/4/2022, 5/4/2023, and 5/4/2024.
- F3. The option vested and become exercisable in three equal installments on 5/3/2023, 5/3/2024, and 5/3/2025.
- F4. The options vest and become exercisable in three equal installments on 4/29/2026, 4/29/2027, and 4/29/2028.
Key Figures
Shares sold: 18,706 shares
Weighted average sale price: $128.7179 per share
Option exercise price: $73.73 per share
+3 more
6 metrics
Shares sold
18,706 shares
Total Merck common stock sold on 2026-08-05 by David R. Maraldo
Weighted average sale price
$128.7179 per share
Weighted average for sales on 2026-08-05; trades ranged $128.64–$128.85
Option exercise price
$73.73 per share
Exercise price for 6,311 stock options exercised on 2026-08-05
Option exercise price
$87.10 per share
Exercise price for 9,709 stock options exercised on 2026-08-05
Option exercise price
$84.71 per share
Exercise price for 2,686 stock options exercised on 2026-08-05
Options exercised
18,706 options
Total stock options (rights to buy) exercised on 2026-08-05
Key Terms
Stock Option (Right to Buy), weighted average price, vested and became exercisable
3 terms
Stock Option (Right to Buy) financial
"security title is listed as "Stock Option (Right to Buy)""
weighted average price financial
"The price reported is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple"
Weighted average price is the average price of a security where each trade or component is counted according to its size, so bigger trades pull the average more than smaller ones. Think of it like calculating the average cost of a grocery haul where items you bought more of have greater influence on the final per-item cost. Investors use it to understand the true average price paid or received, judge execution quality, and compare trading performance against market movement.
vested and became exercisable financial
"The option vested and became exercisable in three equal installments on 5/4/2022"
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
FAQ
What insider transaction did MRK executive David R. Maraldo report?
David R. Maraldo reported exercising stock options for 18,706 shares of Merck common stock and selling all 18,706 shares on August 5, 2026. The transactions combined option exercises with same-day open-market sales.
What option exercise prices were involved in David R. Maraldo’s MRK Form 4?
He exercised three stock option grants covering 6,311 shares at $73.73, 9,709 shares at $87.10, and 2,686 shares at $84.71 per share. Each exercise converted options into an equal number of Merck common shares before their sale.
Were David R. Maraldo’s MRK sales reported as open-market transactions?
Yes. The Form 4 uses transaction code S, described as a sale in an open market or private transaction. A footnote further explains that the reported price is a weighted average across multiple trades within a stated price range.
Does the MRK Form 4 indicate a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan for these transactions?
The filing’s Rule 10b5-1 checkbox is not marked as affirmatively adopted. There is no footnote stating that the August 5, 2026 transactions were executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.