MERC
Mercer International Inc. Materials - Pulp & Paper Investor Relations →
Mercer International Inc. (MERC) closed at $1.15 as of 2026-05-01, trading 83.6% below its 200-week moving average of $7.02. This places MERC in the extreme value zone. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from -84.2% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 24, MERC is in oversold territory.
Trading volume is running at 0.7x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.23 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1923 weeks of data, MERC has crossed below its 200-week moving average 27 times. On average, these episodes lasted 35 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MERC at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +5.3%.
With a market cap of $77 million, MERC is a small-cap stock. Free cash flow yield is currently negative, meaning the company is burning cash. Return on equity stands at -200.0%. The stock trades at 1.1x book value.
Over the past 33.3 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MERC would have grown to $22, compared to $2973 for the S&P 500. MERC has returned -4.4% annualized vs 10.7% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
In the past 12 months, corporate insiders have made 12 open-market purchases totaling $5,246,880. Multiple insiders purchased within a 30-day window — a cluster buy pattern that historically signals management confidence in the company's prospects. Notably, these purchases occurred while MERC is trading below its 200-week moving average — insiders are buying when the market is most pessimistic.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -100% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: MERC vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MERC Crosses Below the Line?
Across 26 historical episodes, buying MERC when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +3.7% after 12 months (median +7.0%), compared to +4.7% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 50% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +9.2% vs +20.3% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MERC crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MERC has crossed below its 200-week MA 27 times with an average 1-year return of +5.3% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1990 | Feb 1992 | 93 | 67.3% | +10.9% | -56.9% |
| Jun 1996 | May 2000 | 203 | 64.4% | -30.4% | -87.9% |
| Sep 2000 | Dec 2000 | 12 | 24.8% | -0.2% | -77.6% |
| Jan 2001 | Jan 2001 | 1 | 10.5% | +9.3% | -75.8% |
| Feb 2001 | Jul 2001 | 24 | 16.7% | -17.4% | -78.1% |
| Sep 2001 | Dec 2001 | 14 | 18.9% | -12.2% | -74.7% |
| Jan 2002 | Apr 2002 | 11 | 12.2% | -22.0% | -76.1% |
| Apr 2002 | Apr 2002 | 1 | 3.6% | -27.6% | -74.9% |
| Jul 2002 | Jan 2004 | 78 | 32.9% | -25.1% | -75.1% |
| May 2005 | May 2005 | 1 | 1.1% | +22.4% | -76.3% |
| Jul 2005 | Jul 2005 | 3 | 2.4% | +22.1% | -75.9% |
| Dec 2005 | Dec 2005 | 1 | 0.1% | +58.1% | -76.6% |
| Jul 2007 | Sep 2007 | 8 | 13.4% | -28.8% | -80.8% |
| Oct 2007 | Nov 2010 | 159 | 96.2% | -80.2% | -81.3% |
| Nov 2011 | Nov 2011 | 1 | 1.5% | +25.8% | -68.7% |
| Jul 2012 | Aug 2012 | 2 | 4.0% | +30.7% | -67.7% |
| Apr 2013 | Sep 2013 | 21 | 5.4% | +19.2% | -73.7% |
| Mar 2014 | Apr 2014 | 5 | 3.7% | +90.8% | -77.5% |
| Dec 2015 | Apr 2016 | 17 | 26.1% | +26.5% | -81.1% |
| Apr 2016 | Nov 2016 | 29 | 16.3% | +52.5% | -80.5% |
| Dec 2018 | Jan 2019 | 3 | 12.9% | +32.4% | -84.9% |
| Aug 2019 | Aug 2019 | 2 | 2.7% | -24.2% | -87.2% |
| Oct 2019 | Oct 2019 | 1 | 1.3% | -35.6% | -87.4% |
| Jan 2020 | Jan 2021 | 49 | 45.0% | +7.4% | -87.3% |
| Jul 2021 | Dec 2021 | 24 | 11.4% | +22.1% | -88.6% |
| Jan 2022 | Jan 2022 | 2 | 3.0% | +11.4% | -88.5% |
| Feb 2023 | Ongoing | 169+ | 85.1% | Ongoing | -88.7% |
| Average | 35 | — | +5.3% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MERC below its 200-week moving average?
Yes. As of 2026-05-01, Mercer International Inc. (MERC) is trading 83.6% below its 200-week moving average of $7.02. The current price is $1.15.
What is MERC's 200-week moving average price?
Mercer International Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $7.02 as of 2026-05-01. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when MERC drops below its 200-week moving average?
MERC has crossed below its 200-week moving average 27 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +5.3%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 35 weeks on average.
Is MERC a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about MERC as of 2026-05-01: The stock is below its 200-week moving average, which is the starting point for our analysis. The 14-week RSI is 24 (oversold). Free cash flow is currently negative. Return on equity is -200.0%. Price-to-book is 1.1x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does MERC compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.3 years, $100 invested in MERC would have grown to $22, compared to $2973 for the S&P 500. That's -4.4% annualized vs 10.7% for the index. MERC has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does MERC pay a dividend?
Yes. Mercer International Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 1604.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-05-01