Tempus AI (NASDAQ: TEM) stock posted massive gains this week despite valuation pressures across the broader market. The healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) specialist's share price climbed 39.5% over its close at the end of the previous week's trading. Meanwhile, the S&P 500's level declined 1.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite's level declined 2.8%.
Tempus's big gains this week stemmed from a press release published by Merck and Moderna that provided an update on a trial for their cancer vaccine. Despite the big valuation pop, Tempus stock is still down roughly 10% over the last year.
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On Wednesday, Merck and Moderna published a press release detailing Phase 3 trial data for the use of a jointly developed messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine along with Merck's Keytruda immunotherapy as a cancer treatment. The results showed that patients who took the combined treatment saw significant benefits compared to those who just took Keytruda, with the return and spread of cancer both being diminished among the cohort.
Tempus stock soared following the announcement, largely due to its pending acquisition of Personalis -- the company that developed the genomic tumor-profiling technology that was central to the development of Merck and Moderna's cancer vaccines. Tempus's deal to acquire Personalis is a binding agreement and is expected to close late this year or early in 2027.

#tempus #NASDAQ #keytruda

Moderna (MRNA) surged 177% and Merck (MRK) rose 12.5% after their mRNA cancer vaccine met key Phase 3 melanoma trial goals.
Phase 2b data showed a 49% reduction in recurrence or death versus Keytruda alone, with nine studies now underway across multiple cancer types.
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Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) shares have crashed 20% as of 12:00 PM ET on Thursday after delivering one of the biotech sector's most extraordinary single-day moves of 2026. CNBC co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin told viewers that Moderna's Phase 3 results for its experimental cancer vaccine sent the stock soaring 177% on Wednesday, while partner Merck (NYSE:MRK) rallied 12.5%.
As Sorkin summarized on air, "The mRNA based shot, in combination with Merck's immunotherapy called Keytruda, met key goals in a trial of patients with higher risk or advanced melanoma whose detectable cancer had been removed."

#mrna #merck #phase #sorkin

It's the day after one of the surprise healthcare stories of 2026.
Moderna (MRNA) shares fell 20% in early trading on Thursday after a stunning 177% gain yesterday on news that the biotech and partner Merck (MRK) notched a big breakthrough in the fight against cancer.
The pair announced that their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine — called intismeran — successfully hit its primary goal in a Phase 3 late-stage trial, demonstrating a meaningful reduction in melanoma recurrence in patients who had already had their tumors surgically removed.
The trial compared using intismeran alongside Merck's well-known immunotherapy drug Keytruda against using Keytruda alone. Patients who received the combination lived meaningfully longer without their cancer returning or spreading.
"It's a home run, maybe even a grand slam," Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel said on Yahoo Finance (video above). "The results are pretty amazing."

#patients

Two biopharma giants, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) and Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD), are proving that in modern drug development, the biggest catalyst isn't always competing head-to-head; it is knowing when to join forces. While both companies reported their first-quarter 2026 earnings earlier this year, their recent double dose of clinical and regulatory breakthroughs across oncology and virology shows how strategic alliances can reshape two massive therapeutic markets at once.
Merck & Co., Inc. delivered $16.3 billion in total sales for the first quarter of 2026, up 5% year-over-year (3% excluding foreign exchange). Top-line growth continued to be anchored by its flagship oncology therapy, Keytruda, which, alongside its sub-formulations, brought in $8.0 billion in sales, representing an 8% ex-exchange increase. Pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment Winrevair also contributed strongly with $525 million in quarterly revenue, up 87% ex-exchange. GAAP and non-GAAP bottom-line metrics reflected net losses per share of $1.72 and $1.28, respectively, largely driven by upfront charges tied to the strategic acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics. Despite those acquisition-related charges, Merck narrowed and raised the midpoint of its full-year worldwide sales guidance to between $65.8 billion and $67.0 billion.
Merck's growth story remains heavily reliant on expanding Keytruda's reach into earlier-stage treatments and novel combination regimens. With key patent expirations approaching toward the end of the decade, management has aggressively pursued business development and combination therapies to diversify its revenue base and maintain its dominance in immuno-oncology.
Gilead Sciences, Inc. reported $7.0 billion in total revenue for the first quarter of 2026, posting 5% year-over-year product sales growth. Gilead's base business, excluding COVID-19 treatment Veklury, rose 8% year-over-year to $6.8 billion, powered by its market-leading HIV franchise, which generated $5.0 billion in sales (up 10% year-over-year). Biktarvy remained the primary growth driver, while newly launched therapies like Yeztugo (lenacapavir) for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis provided fresh momentum. The corporation's adjusted diluted earnings per share reached $2.03.
Backed by strong demand across its core virology portfolio, Gilead Sciences, Inc. raised its full-year 2026 total product sales guidance range by $400 million, targeting $30.0 billion to $30.4 billion.

#billion #merck #sciences #oncology

Pfizer (PFE) yields nearly 7% as COVID drugs crater, while Merck (MRK) compounds at 66% one-year gains with a leaner 3% payout.
Pfizer runs 20 pivotal trials in 2026 targeting obesity and oncology, with a Vyndamax patent extension to 2031 protecting dividend coverage.
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Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Merck (NYSE:MRK) refreshed the dividend debate with their latest quarterly reports.
Pfizer defends one of Big Pharma's fattest yields while its COVID franchise fades. Merck absorbs multi-billion dollar deal charges to reload a pipeline behind Keytruda. Two payouts, two very different risk profiles for income investors.

#NYSE #yields #Dividend

By Michael Erman and Christy Santhosh
Aug 4 (Reuters) - Merck reported higher-than-expected second-quarter sales on Tuesday and raised its full-year revenue forecast on the strength of its top-selling cancer treatment Keytruda.
The U.S. drugmaker reported quarterly revenue ‌of $16.61 billion, up 5% from a year earlier and above ******* ysts' average estimate of $16.36 billion, according to LSEG ‌data.
Merck reported a loss for the quarter due to a $5.7 billion charge from its acquisition of cancer drug developer Terns Pharmaceuticals.
The company's reported loss in the quarter was 13 cents per share, including the $2.31 per share charge from the deal. ******* ysts had expected a larger adjusted loss per share of 27 cents, and Merck shares rose 0.6% to $128.54 in early trading.

#quarter #billion

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) just extended its diagnostics franchise into one of oncology's toughest corners. On July 23, the company said European regulators had certified its PD-L1 IHC 22C3 pharmDx test, Code SK006, as a companion diagnostic for epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal carcinoma. That lets pathologists flag patients who might benefit from Merck's Keytruda. It is a narrow, technical-sounding approval, but it adds up to something bigger: Agilent's diagnostics business keeps racking up new indications while competitors scramble to keep pace.
Bull Case: A Diagnostics Machine That Keeps Adding Indications
This is now the eighth CE-marked indication for the 22C3 pharmDx ****** ay in the EU, following FDA approval of a related PD-L1 test (28-8 pharmDx) for esophageal and gastric cancers just nine days earlier. Each new label doesn't require Agilent to build a new product; it just extends the reach of an ****** ay already running in labs worldwide, which is a high-margin way to grow. Agilent has also been adding inorganically, closing its acquisition of Biocare Medical in June to deepen its clinical pathology reach, the same market where this new ovarian cancer approval lives. Together, the pipeline of regulatory wins and the acquisition strategy point to a company compounding its diagnostics footprint one label at a time rather than swinging for one blockbuster product.
Bear Case: A Crowded Diagnostics Field With A Scarier Neighbor
Companion diagnostics is not Agilent's alone to win. Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR), through its Leica Biosystems unit, competes directly for the same pathology lab budgets and just agreed on July 14 to acquire StatLab Medical Products to strengthen its own histology and AI-pathology pipeline. Danaher's own stock cratered 14% on July 21 after it trimmed its core revenue growth outlook, even though it beat on earnings and raised its profit forecast.

#pharmdx #pathology

We can separate high-yield dividend stocks into two broad categories. The first group consists of companies with stable businesses that generate consistent cash flow and are very likely to continue paying -- and perhaps raising -- their dividends for the foreseeable future. The second are distressed corporations. They boast high yields because their share prices have fallen substantially, reflecting weak business fundamentals.
Many investors would put Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) in the second group. The drugmaker's shares have lost significant value over the past five years, as the company has failed to sustain the amazing success it achieved in the coronavirus market. However, there is much more to the story. Let's discuss why Pfizer's 7% forward yield is more sustainable than it appears at first glance.
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Pfizer's revenue and earnings have declined over the past five years, while it has maintained and even increased its dividend. The company's payout ratio has soared as a result -- it is currently about 127%. That looks unsustainable. But Pfizer's cash payout ratio, a much better measure of whether the company can maintain its dividend program intact, looks less scary at 107.7%. Management is confident of the company's ability to sustain, and even increase, the payout moving forward. That isn't just wishful thinking: Pfizer could improve its business in the coming years and eventually post much stronger financial results.
Consider that Pfizer boasts highly promising programs in the pipeline that will yield brand-new approvals and label expansions. For instance, the company's Padcev is a cancer medicine that is currently one of its better-performing products. On July 10, Padcev earned approval for the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer in combination with Merck's (NYSE: MRK) Keytruda. Padcev was granted the green light regardless of whether patients are eligible for Cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug for bladder cancer that is effective but comes with significant side effects. That's a big deal since many drugs for bladder cancer (including Padcev, initially) aren't approved regardless of Cisplatin eligibility.

#NVIDIA #yield #first

Finding a good dividend stock to buy at any given time usually isn't too tough. Finding one you can buy and hold forever, however, is a different story. The matter of longevity comes into play. You want to be sure the underlying company has the longevity required to not only continue paying its dividend, but to reliably raise its dividend payments at least in step with inflation. That's a taller order.
Nevertheless, these dividend names are out there. Here's a closer look at three of them.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Given the company's struggle since the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic undermined a fantastic but short-lived franchise, some investors might be surprised that drugmaker Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) earned a spot on this list. But it has, particularly since newcomers will be plugging into a healthy forward-looking dividend yield of 6.9%.
Although it'll be a while until investors can clearly see it, this pharmaceutical giant is developing multiple new profit centers. It acquired Seagen in 2023, for instance, largely for its oncology pipeline. This pipeline includes cancer-fighting Padcev, which was recently approved as a treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer when used in conjunction with Merck's Keytruda.

#Dividend #flashing

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is one of the 8 Worst Blue Chip Stocks to Buy Now.
On July 10, 2026, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved PADCEV, a Nectin-4 directed antibody-drug conjugate, plus the PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda or Keytruda QLEX as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment for adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, regardless of cisplatin eligibility. Pfizer said this marks the first platinum-free regimen approved for adult patients with MIBC, regardless of cisplatin eligibility.
The approval was based on results from the pivotal Phase 3 EV-304 clinical trial, which were presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. The expanded indication builds on the November 2025 U.S. FDA approval of the combination for use as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment in cisplatin-ineligible adult patients with MIBC, based on results from the EV-303 Phase 3 clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Also on July 10, BofA lowered the firm's price target on Pfizer to $26 from $27 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares. On July 6, HSBC downgraded Pfizer to Hold from Buy with a price target of $28, down from $32. HSBC lowered its view of the probability to market of sigvotatug vedotin to 40% following the Phase 3 setback in NSCLC and said it is now "less convinced" regarding short-term re-rating potential due to recent executive management changes and "a paucity of short-term re-rating catalysts."
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally.

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TheFly reported on June 18 that MRK announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an expanded approval for Capvaxive, extending its use to children and adolescents between 2 and 17 years old. The updated indication applies to pediatric patients who have completed their initial pneumococcal vaccination series and have chronic health conditions that increase their vulnerability to pneumococcal disease. With this authorization, Capvaxive becomes the only pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in the United States specifically evaluated and approved for this patient group.
In another major operational breakthrough, on June 12, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX, its anti-PD-1 therapies, in combination with WELIREG for the adjuvant treatment of adults with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at an increased risk of recurrence after surgery. The approval marks the first use of WELIREG in earlier-stage ccRCC and the first authorization of a PD-1 and HIF-2α inhibitor combination therapy. The decision was supported by results from the Phase 3 LITESPARK-022 trial, which showed the combination reduced the risk of recurrence, metastasis, or death by 28% compared with KEYTRUDA plus placebo in eligible patients.
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a global healthcare company expanding its obesity pipeline through early-stage GLP-1 and dual agonist therapies. While it lacks a marketed weight-loss drug, its metabolic research and strong pharmaceutical portfolio make it a potential long-term obesity market contender.
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