Company Of The Day: Merck

What?

The Wall Street Journal reports that Merck (NYSE:MRK) is looking to buy Acceleron Pharma, in a deal that could be announced as soon as this week.

Why?

A deal could bolster Merck’s rare diseases business. Acceleron’s most high-profile development is an experimental drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension, a respiratory disease.

So What?

While the deal would be one of Merck’s largest ever, it probably isn’t too big in the context of Merck’s market cap. XLRN had a market cap of about $11 billion as of Monday, compared to MRK’s $185 billion market cap.

See Our Complete Analysis For Merck