Moving averages are one of the core indicators in technical analysis. A Simple Moving Average (SMA) is simply the arithmetic average of stock price over a period. It is calculated by adding a selected range of prices, usually closing prices, and then dividing that figure by the number of time periods in that range.
The 50-Day SMA calculates the average price over 50 days. And the 20-Day SMA and 200-Day SMA calculates the average price over 20 days and 200 days separately.
As of today (2023-10-04), Merck's 50-Day SMA is $107.26. It's 20-Day SMA is $106.35 and 200-Day SMA is $109.20.
Competitive Comparison
For the Drug Manufacturers - General subindustry, Merck's 50-Day SMA, along with its competitors' market caps and 50-Day SMA data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Merck 50-Day SMA Distribution
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Merck's 50-Day SMA distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Merck's 50-Day SMA falls into.
Merck (NYSE:MRK) 50-Day SMA Calculation
The formula for calculating SMA is:
SMA
=
( P1 + P2 + ... + Pn )
/
n
where:
Pn is the price of the stock at period n.
n is the total number of periods.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Merck (NYSE:MRK) 50-Day SMA Explanation
Simple Moving Average (SMA) is the arithmetic average of stock price over a period. The 20-Day SMA calculates the average price over 20 days. And the 50-Day SMA and 200-Day SMA calculates the average price over 50 days and 200 days separately. SMAs are often used to determine the price trend direction. A 200-Day SMA is usually a proxy for the long-term trend, while shorter periods indicate short-term trend.
SMA are commonly compared with stock price or different period SMAs to indicate a trading signal. Generally speaking, if the price goes above the SMA, or a short-term SMA crosses above a long-term SMA, an uptrend is expected, investors may want to go long or cover short. Conversely, if the price goes below the SMA, or the short-term SMA crosses below a long-term SMA, a downtrend is expected, investors may want to go short or exit long.
Two popular trading patterns that use SMA include the death cross and a golden cross. A death cross occurs when the 50-day SMA crosses below the 200-day SMA. This is considered a bearish signal, that further losses are in store. The golden cross is a bullish signal which occurs when a short-term SMA crosses above a long-term SMA.
Merck 50-Day SMA Related Terms
Thank you for viewing the detailed overview of Merck's 50-Day SMA provided by GuruFocus.com. Please click on the following links to see related term pages.
Merck makes pharmaceutical products to treat several conditions in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardiometabolic disease, cancer, and infections. Within cancer, the firm's immuno-oncology platform is growing as a major contributor to overall sales. The company also has a substantial vaccine business, with treatments to prevent pediatric diseases as well as human papillomavirus, or HPV. Additionally, Merck sells animal health-related drugs. From a geographical perspective, just under half of the company's sales are generated in the United States.
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