IESC vs. MRK
IESC (IES Holdings, Inc.) and MRK (Merck & Co., Inc.) are both stocks. IESC operates in Engineering & Construction (Industrials), while MRK operates in Drug Manufacturers - General (Healthcare). Over the past 10 years, IESC returned 48.97%/yr vs 11.59%/yr for MRK. At a 0.11 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IESC vs. MRK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IESC achieves a 92.75% return, which is significantly higher than MRK's 13.94% return. Over the past 10 years, IESC has outperformed MRK with an annualized return of 48.97%, while MRK has yielded a comparatively lower 11.59% annualized return.
IESC
- 1D
- 2.53%
- 1M
- 9.91%
- YTD
- 92.75%
- 6M
- 62.95%
- 1Y
- 186.31%
- 3Y*
- 139.60%
- 5Y*
- 70.53%
- 10Y*
- 48.97%
MRK
- 1D
- -1.42%
- 1M
- 6.89%
- YTD
- 13.94%
- 6M
- 20.60%
- 1Y
- 50.99%
- 3Y*
- 5.87%
- 5Y*
- 12.81%
- 10Y*
- 11.59%
IESC vs. MRK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IESC IES Holdings, Inc. | 92.75% | 93.58% | 153.67% | 122.72% | -29.76% | 9.99% | 79.42% | 65.02% | -9.86% | -9.92% |
MRK Merck & Co., Inc. | 13.94% | 9.79% | -6.26% | 1.01% | 49.42% | 1.75% | -7.20% | 22.27% | 39.95% | -1.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between IESC and MRK is 0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 28, 1998 | 0.11 |
The correlation between IESC and MRK shifts across timeframes, from -0.04 (3 years) to 0.11 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
IESC:
$15.14B
MRK:
$294.29B
IESC:
$18.85
MRK:
$3.58
IESC:
39.78
MRK:
33.21
IESC:
0.48
MRK:
0.03
IESC:
4.17
MRK:
4.52
IESC:
14.11
MRK:
6.41
IESC:
$3.63B
MRK:
$65.59B
IESC:
$931.31M
MRK:
$49.79B
IESC:
$487.14M
MRK:
$22.69B
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Return for Risk
IESC vs. MRK — Risk / Return Rank
IESC
MRK
IESC vs. MRK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for IES Holdings, Inc. (IESC) and Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| IESC | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.40 | 1.33 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 8.09 | 4.49 | +3.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 22.98 | 11.22 | +11.76 |
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Drawdowns
IESC vs. MRK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IESC drawdown since its inception was -98.32%, which is greater than MRK's maximum drawdown of -68.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IESC and MRK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IESC | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -98.32% | -68.61% | -29.71% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.80% | -11.37% | -10.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -49.23% | -43.44% | -5.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -54.22% | -43.44% | -10.78% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -54.28% | -43.44% | -10.84% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -5.03% | +5.03% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -54.97% | -18.83% | -36.14% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.66% | 4.54% | +3.12% |
Volatility
IESC vs. MRK - Volatility Comparison
IES Holdings, Inc. (IESC) has a higher volatility of 15.69% compared to Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) at 9.57%. This indicates that IESC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MRK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IESC | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 15.69% | 9.57% | +6.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 50.65% | 18.04% | +32.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 62.74% | 27.18% | +35.56% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 54.09% | 23.66% | +30.43% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 48.19% | 22.96% | +25.23% |
Dividends
IESC vs. MRK - Dividend Comparison
IESC has not paid dividends to shareholders, while MRK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.79%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IESC IES Holdings, Inc. | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
MRK Merck & Co., Inc. | 2.79% | 3.12% | 3.14% | 2.72% | 2.52% | 3.41% | 3.03% | 2.48% | 2.60% | 3.36% | 3.14% | 3.43% |
Financials
IESC vs. MRK - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between IES Holdings, Inc. and Merck & Co., Inc.. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
IESC vs. MRK - Profitability Comparison
IESC - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, IES Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 238.70M and revenue of 974.20M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 24.5%.
MRK - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. reported a gross profit of 13.34B and revenue of 16.29B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 81.9%.
IESC - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, IES Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 112.30M and revenue of 974.20M, resulting in an operating margin of 11.5%.
MRK - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. reported an operating income of -1.88B and revenue of 16.29B, resulting in an operating margin of -11.6%.
IESC - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, IES Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 110.00M and revenue of 974.20M, resulting in a net margin of 11.3%.
MRK - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. reported a net income of -4.24B and revenue of 16.29B, resulting in a net margin of -26.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IESC and MRK have a correlation of 0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IESC has higher volatility (15.69%) compared to MRK (9.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IESC dropped -98.32% vs MRK's -68.61%.
IESC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 1.88), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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