tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241416962008169508.post6464201356486672472..comments2024-03-29T06:40:19.495-04:00Comments on Just A Life Sciences Blog...: Barclays Lowers Merck Target (Again!) -- Merck's NYSE Price Now Below Merger PriceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241416962008169508.post-80624449339244726692011-09-17T10:32:18.213-04:002011-09-17T10:32:18.213-04:00MRK will never return to its "former glory&qu...MRK will never return to its "former glory" unless ALL the top management gets thrown out and replaced. Creativity has been six-sigma-ed out of the labs, very effectively. The current management's prevailing strategy relies on the false premise that FTE's can be mind-controlled to adhere to the prescribed paradigm termed "cookie-cutter drug development" devised by Kim et al. It goes like this, I've been told, "just do X, Y, then Z, and a drug will appear." Just like magic. To deviate from this mindless path is to forfeit one's career in MRK, especially true in MRL. MRK is not great, not sure if it ever was, but now its simply mired in greed, sadism, and outright stupidity. No one in MRK management is interested in actually making drugs anymore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241416962008169508.post-35885378038148956482011-09-15T17:29:01.722-04:002011-09-15T17:29:01.722-04:00You are correct -- I typed too hastily this mornin...You are correct -- I typed too hastily this morning. Will correct it now. Per share price is down, but overall market capitalization is. . . up.<br /><br />Thanks for the fix-it Mr. Square!<br /><br />NamasteCondorhttp://shearlingsplowed.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4241416962008169508.post-86879992988346739242011-09-15T15:33:45.131-04:002011-09-15T15:33:45.131-04:00But -- just the same -- Merck's market cap is ...<i>But -- just the same -- Merck's market cap is actually now less than what it was before it bought-out/busted-up Schering-Plough.</i><br /><br />MRK's market cap is much higher now; ~$100bn vs. ~$70bn pre merger (http://ycharts.com/companies/MRK/historical_data/market_cap). I believe new MRK exchanged shares for all the outstanding old MRK and SGP stock, so the same $32 price is on a much larger pool of shares.<br /><br />Without a merger MRK would likely be in the mid-tier of pharmas along with AstraZeneca and Novo by market cap. Of course, one can always speculate as to whether SGP was the right merger partner, but that's water under the bridge now.MrSquarenoreply@blogger.com