Merck & Co. Inc.

MRK
Financial Analysis · Updated May 12, 2026 · Coverage 2026-Q2
Latest Q Revenue
$16.3B
Q1 2026 · +4.9% YoY
TTM ROIC
22.1%
FY2025 · NOPAT / Total Invested Capital (including goodwill & intangibles); NOPAT = GAAP Operating Income × (1 - effective tax rate) · WACC ~4.6% · Moat spread +17.5pp

Financial Snapshot


ticker: MRK step: 04 generated: 2026-05-11 source: quick-research

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) — Financial Snapshot

Income Statement Summary

Metric FY2023 FY2024 FY2025 YoY (FY25)
Revenue $60.1B $64.2B $65.0B +1.3%
Keytruda Revenue $25.0B $29.5B $31.7B +7%
Adjusted Operating Margin ~40% ~42% ~43% +100 bps
GAAP EPS $0.14* $6.74 $7.28 +8%
Adjusted EPS $6.74 $7.65 $8.98 +17%

*FY2023 GAAP EPS depressed by ~$10B Prometheus + ~$5.5B Daiichi-Sankyo IPR&D charges.

Top Products (FY2025)

Product FY25 Sales YoY Notes
Keytruda + Keytruda QLEX $31.7B +7% QLEX SC contributed $35M in Q4 (early launch)
Gardasil 9 ~$8.2B -5% China shipment freeze pressure
WINREVAIR (PAH) $1.4B NM Ramping toward multi-billion peak
Animal Health $6.4B +8% Strong companion + livestock
Lagevrio (Covid) declining NM Endemic phase

Cash Flow & Balance Sheet (FY2025)

Metric Value
Operating Cash Flow ~$18B
Capital Expenditures ~$5B
Free Cash Flow $12.4B (FY25)
Free Cash Flow Target (FY27) ~$24B
Dividend (Quarterly) $0.81
Annual Dividend Yield ~2.9%
Dividend Payout Ratio ~44% (earnings); ~68% (cash)
Cash & Marketable Securities ~$13B
Total Debt ~$36B
Major Recent Acquisitions Verona ($10B), Terns ($6.7B), Cidara (~$9B charge in Q1 2026)

Key Ratios (approximate)

  • P/E: ~9x (FY25 adjusted EPS) | EV/EBITDA: ~8x | FCF Yield: ~6% (depressed by IPR&D charges)
  • Revenue Growth (FY25): +1.3% | Adjusted EPS Growth: +17%
  • Dividend Yield: ~2.9%; payout ratio ~44% of earnings
  • Operating Margin: ~43% (adjusted)

Growth Profile

2025 was the last "clean" year before the 2028 Keytruda patent cliff dominates the narrative. Revenue +1.3% nominally (Gardasil China + Lagevrio Covid both significant drags); adjusted EPS +17% on operating leverage and lower charges. Key forward dynamics:

2026–27: Keytruda continues growing toward ~$32B+ peak (2026); Keytruda QLEX (subcutaneous) launching to convert IV patients ahead of biosimilars. WINREVAIR ramping; Ohtuvayre (from Verona) launching; pipeline asset readouts. ~$24B FCF target for 2027.

2028+: Keytruda US loss of exclusivity. Bear case: ~50%+ of Keytruda IV revenue lost over 2028–32 to biosimilars; revenue declines 15–25% from peak. Bull case: 30–40% conversion to Keytruda QLEX (12-yr biologic exclusivity) preserves $9–12B; pipeline (WINREVAIR, Ohtuvayre, MK-7240 TL1A, Terns CML, oral PCSK9) replaces lost revenue.

Forward Estimates

2026 Guide (initial):

  • Revenue: $65.5–67B (vs. $67.6B consensus — modest miss)
  • Adjusted EPS: $5.00–5.15 (vs. $5.36 consensus — includes ~$3.65 one-time Cidara acquisition charge)
  • Underlying EPS (ex-Cidara charge): $8.65–8.80, roughly flat YoY

Sell-side estimates have material divergence on 2028+. Bull case: $24B+ FCF / share at 2027 trough, recovery to growth by 2030 via pipeline. Bear case: 2028–30 trough in EPS at ~$5–6/share with multiple compression to ~8x P/E.

Deeper Financial Analysis

The fundamental tier adds 9 additional research dimensions for $MRK.

Revenue Breakdown
Segment revenue, geographic mix, product-line contribution margins, and cohort dynamics.
Financial Trends
Quarter-over-quarter momentum, leading indicators, and inflection point analysis.
Balance Sheet
Debt structure, liquidity runway, dilution risk, and working capital dynamics.
Capital Allocation
Buyback cadence, M&A appetite, dividend policy, and reinvestment priorities.
Returns on Capital (ROIC)
Multi-year ROIC vs. WACC, marginal returns on reinvestment, sales-to-invested-capital efficiency, and moat spread.
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