Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Merck Consumer Care (MCC) business to Bayer AG (BAYRY) for $14.2 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Bayer AG will acquire Merck’s existing OTC business, including the global trademark and prescription rights for Claritin and Afrin. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) net profit margin is 14.00% and weekly performance is -5.17%. On last trading day company shares ended up $55.21. Analysts mean target price for the company is $59.22. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) distance from 50-day simple moving average (SMA50) is -2.22%.
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) gave the rights to an experimental AIDS drug to a charity that’s testing the medicine in a vaginal ring to prevent HIV infection. J&J gave the global rights to develop and market dapivirine to the International Partnership for Microbicides, a Silver Spring, Maryland-based organization that works on developing HIV prevention tools for women, IPM said in a statement. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) shares advanced 0.41% in last trading session and ended the day on $100.91. JNJ gross Margin is 69.10% and its return on assets is 11.90%.Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) quarterly performance is 12.87%.
Forest Laboratories, Inc (NYSE:FRX) has agreed to buy Furiex Pharmaceuticals for around $1.46 billion. The former is also the target of a $25B takeover by Actavis. FRX said in its statement that Actavis had consented to this transaction & that it does not expect the Furiex deal to affect the timing of this Actavis deal. Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX) shares moved down -0.43% in last trading session and was closed at $89.50, while trading in range of $88.39 – $90.04. Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX) year to date (YTD) performance is 49.09%.
Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SGYP) said on 30 April, its constipation drug improved the frequency of complete spontaneous bowel movements in patients with a form of irritable bowel syndrome, reinforcing investor hopes that the data would boost chances of a buyout. Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:SGYP) ended the last trading day at $3.78. Company weekly volatility is calculated as 9.88% and price to cash ratio as 5.19.Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:SGYP) showed a negative weekly performance of -12.09%.