MRK— Merck & Co., Inc.
NYSEHealthcare · Drug Manufacturers - General
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) stock trades at $119.60, up 3.57% on the day. With a market capitalization of $295.39 billion, MRK is a mega-cap healthcare stock. It trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 33.7, a forward P/E of 12.5 and earnings per share (EPS) of $3.55. Over the most recent period the company reported 5% year-over-year revenue growth and a net profit margin of 13.6%. Below you'll find MRK's full fundamentals, fair-value estimates, dividend history, earnings and our buy, hold or avoid verdict for 2026.
Price & Performance
Performance
Analysis & Verdict
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Stock Analysis 2026
Rule-based · Updated daily · Not financial advice
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) operates in the Drug Manufacturers - General space within the Healthcare sector. With a market cap of $295.4B, it qualifies as a large-cap company. Growth is moderate and the business remains profitable, offering a balanced risk/reward profile compared to high-multiple peers.
- Forward P/E (12.5×) is lower than trailing P/E (33.7×) — analysts expect earnings to improve
- Healthy profit margin of 13.6%
- ROE of 18.9% shows management efficiently converts equity into profit
- Dividend yield of 2.84% provides consistent income on top of price appreciation
- Low beta of 0.22 — less volatile than the market, suitable for conservative portfolios
- P/E of 33.7× is above average — valuation requires continued strong growth to justify
- High debt-to-equity of 106.94× increases financial risk, especially with elevated interest rates
- Price is near its 52-week high — limited near-term upside, higher pullback risk
Verdict
Buy / Hold
More positives than negatives. Fundamentals support holding while monitoring key risks.
AI Insight
Powered by ClaudeAI-generated analysis for informational purposes only. Not financial advice.
Fair Value Estimates
Current price: $119.60
Graham Number
√(22.5 × EPS × Book Value)
$38.52
Benjamin Graham's intrinsic value formula. Assumes a fair stock trades at no more than 22.5× the product of EPS and book value per share.
Bazin Ceiling Price
Avg. Annual DPS (5Y) ÷ 6%
$49.23
Décio Bazin's dividend-based ceiling. The max price you should pay so that dividends alone deliver at least 6% annual yield on your cost basis.
These are simplified estimates. Not financial advice.
Buy & Hold Checklist
Quality criteria for long-term holding
8/10
89% score
Pays dividends
15Y hist.15+ years of dividend history
Dividend consistency (5Y+)
15 yrsUninterrupted dividend payments for at least 5 years
ROE above 10%
18.9%Return on equity — measures how efficiently capital is used
Positive profit margin
13.6%Net profit margin must be positive — company earns more than it spends
Revenue growth (annual)
+4.9%Annual revenue must be growing compared to the prior year
Earnings growth (annual)
Annual earnings must be growing compared to the prior year
Debt/Equity below 2×
106.94×Low financial leverage reduces risk of distress
Current ratio above 1
1.30×Short-term assets must cover short-term liabilities
Daily liquidity above $5M
$1.2B/dayHigh trading volume ensures easy entry and exit
Dividend yield above 0%
2.84%Stock must distribute income to shareholders
Financials
Revenue & Results
Key Statistics
Earnings
Next Earnings
Aug 4, 2026
41
days
EPS (TTM)
$3.55
P/E (TTM)
33.7
Fwd P/E
12.5
SEC Filings & Reported Financials
Earnings History
SEC EDGAR · official filings
SEC Filings
Official EDGAR documents
Insider Transactions
SEC Form 4 · officers, directors & 10% owners
Dividends & Income
Dividends
Current DY
2.84%
5Y Avg Annual
$2.7720
Last Payment
$0.8500
Ex-Date
06/15/2026
Annual dividends paid per share
| Ex-Date | Payment | Amount | Est. DY |
|---|---|---|---|
Latest06/15/2026 | 07/08/2026 | $0.8500 | 2.84% |
03/16/2026 | 04/08/2026 | $0.8500 | 2.84% |
12/15/2025 | 01/07/2026 | $0.8500 | 2.84% |
09/15/2025 | 10/08/2025 | $0.8100 | 2.71% |
06/16/2025 | 07/09/2025 | $0.8100 | 2.71% |
03/17/2025 | 04/09/2025 | $0.8100 | 2.71% |
12/16/2024 | 01/08/2025 | $0.8100 | 2.71% |
09/16/2024 | 10/09/2024 | $0.7700 | 2.58% |
Magic Number
Shares needed to self-fund your next purchase
$119.60
Price
$0.8500
Last div. (quarterly)
141
shares
Own 141 MRK shares ($16,863.60) and each quarterly dividend pays for 1 new share — the snowball runs on its own.
Investment target
$16,863.60
New shares / year
+4 shares
Tools & Simulators
If You Had Invested…
Hypothetical return based on historical prices
* Dividend reinvestment calculated at ex-date price. For informational purposes only.
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About Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc. operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It offers human health pharmaceutical for various areas under the Keytruda, Keytruda Qlex, Welireg, Gardasil, ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, Vaxneuvance, Capvaxive, RotaTeq, Pneumovax 23, Bridion, Prevymis, Dificid, Zerbaxa, Winrevair, Adempas/ Verquvo, Ohtuvayre, Lagevrio, Isentress/Isentress HD, Delstrigo, Pifeltro, Belsomra, Januvia, and Janumet brands. The company also provides veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services, such as livestock products under the Nuflor, Bovilis/Vista, Bovilis Cryptium, Banamine, Estrumate, Matrix, Resflor, Zuprevo, Revalor, Safe-Guard, M+Pac, Porcilis, Circumvent, Nobilis/Innovax, Paracox and Coccivac, Exzolt, Slice, Imvixa, Clynav, Aquavac/Norvax, Aquaflor, Flexolt brands; Allflex Livestock Intelligence solutions; and companion animal products under the Bravecto One-Month, Bravecto Injectable/Quantum, Bravecto TriUNO, Bravecto Plus, Sentinel Spectrum, Sentinel Flavor Tabs, Numelvi, Optimmune, Nobivac NXT, GilvetMab, Otomax, Mometamax, Mometamax Ultra, Posatex, Caninsulin/Vetsulin, Panacur, Safeguard, Regumate, Prestige, Scalibor/Exspot, Sure Petcare, and Home Again brands. It has development and commercialization agreement for three of Daiichi Sankyo's deruxtecan ADC candidates; AstraZeneca PLC to co-development and co-commercialize AstraZeneca's Lynparza products for multiple cancer types; licensed to develop, manufacture and commercialize LM-299, a novel investigational PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody from LaNova; and collaboration agreement with Eisai Co., Ltd., Bayer AG, and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, as well Moderna, Inc. Merck & Co., Inc. has strategic collaboration with Infinimmune, Inc. to discover and develop antibodies against multiple therapeutic targets. The company was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey.
Sector
Healthcare
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Location
Rahway, United States
Employees
73,000
MRK — Frequently Asked Questions
Is Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) a good stock to buy in 2026?
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) shows strengths such as a 19% return on equity, while risks include high leverage (debt/equity of 106.9). Whether MRK is a good buy in 2026 depends on your time horizon and risk tolerance — review the full bull case, bear case and fair-value estimates above. This is informational analysis, not financial advice.
What is MRK's stock price today?
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) trades at $119.60, up 3.57% on the session. Prices on this page update throughout the trading day.
Does MRK pay a dividend?
Yes. Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $3.40 per share, a dividend yield of 2.84%. The most recent ex-dividend date was June 15, 2026. Its payout ratio is about 94% of earnings.
Is MRK overvalued?
With a P/E ratio of 33.7×, MRK is valued above the broad-market average for the healthcare sector. Its PEG ratio is 5.37. See the Fair Value Estimates section above for Graham Number and dividend-based price targets.
What is MRK's market cap?
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) has a market capitalization of $295.39 billion, classifying it as a mega-cap stock in the Healthcare sector.
Disclaimer: This page — including any buy/hold/avoid view, fair value or price estimate — is generated from market data for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment or trading advice. Data may be delayed or inaccurate. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision.