Merck & Company Inc MRK
Stock research in plain language · As of Oct 04, 2026 · updated once a week, after the trading week closes
What the company does
Merck & Company Inc is a mega-cap company in the Healthcare sector (Drug Manufacturers - General), with a market value of $356.0B, based in the USA.
It employs about 73,000 people and has been listed since Jan 13, 1978.
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.
Cheap or expensive? priced in line with its group
The company is loss-making, so it has no P/E — we compare on price-to-sales instead.
Its price-to-sales (P/S) is 5.3 versus 4.4 for 4 direct peers — priced in line with its group.
Revenue is growing 5% versus the same quarter last year.
The average analyst price target is 155.76, 8% above the current price (their view, not ours).
The stock sits at 85% of its one-year range (0% = the low, 100% = the high).
The risks
- • The company is loss-making.
- • Net debt is 1.1× shareholders' equity — high leverage.
Strengths
- ✅ Generates free cash flow — profit becomes cash in the bank.
- ✅ Buys back its shares (2% fewer shares in a year).
- ✅ Most analysts rate it buy (19 vs 0).
- ✅ Pays a dividend (2.3% a year).
What changed this week
Over the past week the stock fell 3.0% (for comparison: S&P 500 -0.2%, sector ETF XLV -2.6%).
This week's news
- AbbVie, Amgen, Pfizer, GSK among participants in new 340B rebate pilot seekingalpha.com · 2026-10-03
- Moderna, Illumina lead healthcare gains in September as medtech drags seekingalpha.com · 2026-10-03
- Notable analyst calls this week: Target, Moderna and PepsiCo among top picks seekingalpha.com · 2026-10-03
- 3 European Defensive Stocks Investors Are Watching As Bond Markets Turn Risk Off finance.yahoo.com · 2026-10-03
- Merck (MRK) Reports Positive Phase 2b Tulisokibart Results In Hidradenitis Suppurativa finance.yahoo.com · 2026-10-02
- Merck's Tulisokibart Data From Hidradenitis Suppurativa Trial Looks Solid, UBS Securities Says finance.yahoo.com · 2026-10-01
A description of facts from the filings and the market — not investment advice or a recommendation. "Cheap" and "expensive" are always relative to the comparison group.