Oosthuizen Johannes Jacobus 4

What Happened Johannes J. Oosthuizen, President — U.S. Market at Merck (MRK), received 5,026 shares on January 26, 2026 as the net after-tax distribution of performance share units (reporting code A). The shares were valued at $107.40 each, for a total value of $539,792. This was not an open-market purchase or sale but the payout of a compensation award.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-01-26; Filing date: 2026-01-28 (timely Form 4).
• Amount: 5,026 shares at $107.40 per share; total value ~$539,792.
• Transaction type: Award/settlement of performance share units (code A).
• Shares owned after transaction: Not specified in the provided excerpt (see full filing for post-transaction holdings).
• Footnotes: F1 — Distribution of net after-tax shares upon satisfaction of performance criteria for PSUs granted 3/31/2023; PSUs paid out at 94% of target and include dividends accrued over the three-year performance period ending 12/31/2025. F2 — Holdings include shares from dividend reinvestment transactions.

Context This transaction reflects a routine compensation payout (performance share units vesting/settlement) rather than an insider buying or selling stock in the market. Because PSUs were paid at 94% of target and distributed net of taxes, the shares represent earned compensation tied to multi-year performance metrics, not a directional trade signal by the insider. For full ownership and timing details, refer to the complete Form 4 filing (Accession 0000310158-26-000020).