Merck EVP exercises options, sells common shares

Merck & Co., Inc. executive vice president and general counsel Jennifer Zachary reported option exercises and related share sales in company stock.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Merck & Co., Inc. executive vice president and general counsel Jennifer Zachary reported option exercises and related share sales in company stock. On 02/09/2026, she exercised three stock option grants covering 25,946, 56,792 and 38,835 shares of common stock, which had previously vested in scheduled installments. On the same date, she sold corresponding amounts of Merck common shares at a weighted average price of $119.1522 per share, with individual sale prices ranging from $118.9600 to $119.5100. Following these transactions, she directly held 68,915.671 shares of Merck common stock.

Insider Trade Summary

Exercise and Sale: 121,573 shares ($4.96M approx. pre-tax spread)

Exercise and Sale 9 txns

Insider Zachary Jennifer

Role EVP, General Counsel

Sold 121,573 shs ($14.49M)

Approx. gross sale proceeds $14.49M

Approx. exercise cost $9.53M

Approx. pre-tax spread $4.96M

Type	Security	Shares	Price	Value
Exercise	Stock Option (Right to Buy)	25,946	$0.00	$0.00
Exercise	Stock Option (Right to Buy)	56,792	$0.00	$0.00
Exercise	Stock Option (Right to Buy)	38,835	$0.00	$0.00
Exercise	Common Stock	25,946	$119.1522	$3.09M
Sale	Common Stock	25,946	$119.1522	$3.09M
Exercise	Common Stock	56,792	$119.1522	$6.77M
Sale	Common Stock	56,792	$119.1522	$6.77M
Exercise	Common Stock	38,835	$119.1522	$4.63M
Sale	Common Stock	38,835	$119.1522	$4.63M

Holdings After Transaction: Stock Option (Right to Buy) — 0 contracts (Direct); Common Stock — 68,915.671 shares (Direct)

Footnotes (4)

1. F1. The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $118.9600 to $119.5100, 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 this footnote.
2. F2. The option vested and became exercisable in three equal installments on 5/1/2021, 5/1/2022 and 5/1/2023.
3. F3. The option vests and becomes exercisable in three equal installments on 5/4/2022, 5/4/2023 and 5/4/2024.
4. F4. The option vests and becomes exercisable in equal installments on 5/3/2023, 5/3/2024 and 5/3/2025.

FAQ

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What insider transactions did Merck (MRK) report for EVP Jennifer Zachary?

Merck reported that EVP and general counsel Jennifer Zachary exercised three stock option grants and sold matching amounts of common stock on 02/09/2026. These transactions involved multiple blocks of shares, with her remaining direct ownership reported at 68,915.671 shares after the activity.

How many Merck (MRK) stock options did Jennifer Zachary exercise?

Jennifer Zachary exercised three stock option awards covering 25,946, 56,792 and 38,835 shares of Merck common stock. The options had vesting schedules in equal installments across 2021–2025, as detailed in the disclosure’s footnotes describing when each grant became exercisable.

At what price were Jennifer Zachary’s Merck (MRK) shares sold?

The reported weighted average sale price was $119.1522 per Merck share. Footnotes explain the sales occurred in multiple transactions, with individual prices ranging from $118.9600 to $119.5100, and the executive offers to provide full breakdowns upon request to shareholders or regulators.

How many Merck (MRK) shares does Jennifer Zachary own after these transactions?

After the reported option exercises and related sales on 02/09/2026, Jennifer Zachary directly held 68,915.671 shares of Merck common stock. This post-transaction balance is disclosed in the Form 4’s non-derivative table as the amount beneficially owned following the reported trades.

What were the exercise prices and vesting details of Merck (MRK) options involved?

The exercised stock options had exercise prices of $75.36, $73.73, and $87.10 per share. Footnotes state these options vested in equal installments on dates in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, after which they became exercisable for Merck common stock.

Is Jennifer Zachary’s Merck (MRK) ownership direct or through another entity?

The filing shows Jennifer Zachary’s post-transaction holdings of 68,915.671 Merck common shares as held with Direct (D) ownership. No footnotes indicate indirect ownership through trusts, partnerships, or other entities for the reported derivative or non-derivative transactions.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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Accepted by SEC EDGAR 02/09/2026 - 04:01 PM Learn about SEC filing dates

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Zachary Jennifer

(Last) (First) (Middle)

MERCK & CO., INC.

126 EAST LINCOLN AVENUE

(Street)

RAHWAY NJ 07065

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Merck & Co., Inc. [ MRK ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director		10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)
	EVP, General Counsel

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/09/2026

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	02/09/2026		M		25,946	A	$119.1522(1)	94,861.671	D
Common Stock	02/09/2026		S		25,946	D	$119.1522(1)	68,915.671	D
Common Stock	02/09/2026		M		56,792	A	$119.1522(1)	125,707.671	D
Common Stock	02/09/2026		S		56,792	D	$119.1522(1)	68,915.671	D
Common Stock	02/09/2026		M		38,835	A	$119.1522(1)	107,750.671	D
Common Stock	02/09/2026		S		38,835	D	$119.1522(1)	68,915.671	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$75.36	02/09/2026		M			25,946	05/01/2021(2)	04/30/2030	Common Stock	25,946	$0	0	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$73.73	02/09/2026		M			56,792	05/04/2022(3)	05/03/2031	Common Stock	56,792	$0	0	D
Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$87.1	02/09/2026		M			38,835	05/03/2023(4)	05/02/2032	Common Stock	38,835	$0	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $118.9600 to $119.5100, 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 this footnote.

2. The option vested and became exercisable in three equal installments on 5/1/2021, 5/1/2022 and 5/1/2023.

3. The option vests and becomes exercisable in three equal installments on 5/4/2022, 5/4/2023 and 5/4/2024.

4. The option vests and becomes exercisable in equal installments on 5/3/2023, 5/3/2024 and 5/3/2025.

	/s/ Kelly E. W. Grez as Attorney-in-Fact for Jennifer Zachary	02/09/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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