In the latest trading session, Merck (MRK) closed at $77.90, marking a +0.36% move from the previous day. This change outpaced the S&P 500's 0.33% loss on the day.Prior to today's trading, shares of the pharmaceutical company had gained 1.32% over the past month. This has outpaced the Medical sector's loss of 4.76% and lagged the S&P 500's gain of 2.89% in that time.MRK will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release, which is expected to be July 29, 2021. In that report, analysts expect MRK to post earnings of $1.51 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 10.22%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $11.92 billion, up 9.62% from the prior-year quarter.Looking at the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $6.47 per share and revenue of $47.3 billion. These totals would mark changes of +8.92% and -1.45%, respectively, from last year.Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for MRK. These recent revisions tend to reflect the evolving nature of short-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 0.05% lower. MRK is currently a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).Digging into valuation, MRK currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 12. This represents a discount compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 15.04.Investors should also note that MRK has a PEG ratio of 1.96 right now. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. Large Cap Pharmaceuticals stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 2.08 based on yesterday's closing prices.The Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry is part of the Medical sector. This group has a Zacks Industry Rank of 174, putting it in the bottom 32% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com. Bitcoin, Like the Internet Itself, Could Change Everything Blockchain and cryptocurrency has sparked one of the most exciting discussion topics of a generation. Some call it the “Internet of Money” and predict it could change the way money works forever. If true, it could do to banks what Netflix did to Blockbuster and Amazon did to Sears. Experts agree we’re still in the early stages of this technology, and as it grows, it will create several investing opportunities. Zacks’ has just revealed 3 companies that can help investors capitalize on the explosive profit potential of Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies with significantly less volatility than buying them directly. See 3 crypto-related stocks now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here.