MRK vs. REGN

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

MRK (Merck & Co., Inc.) and REGN (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Healthcare sector — MRK in Drug Manufacturers - General, REGN in Biotechnology. Over the past 10 years, MRK returned 11.28%/yr vs 4.25%/yr for REGN. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

MRK vs. REGN - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MRK achieves a 10.68% return, which is significantly higher than REGN's -21.68% return. Over the past 10 years, MRK has outperformed REGN with an annualized return of 11.28%, while REGN has yielded a comparatively lower 4.25% annualized return.

MRK

• 1D: 0.42%
• 1M: 3.11%
• YTD: 10.68%
• 6M: 16.30%
• 1Y: 57.18%
• 3Y*: 4.06%
• 5Y*: 12.86%
• 10Y*: 11.28%

REGN

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: -13.91%
• YTD: -21.68%
• 6M: -18.52%
• 1Y: 23.51%
• 3Y*: -6.34%
• 5Y*: 3.75%
• 10Y*: 4.25%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

MRK vs. REGN - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.	10.68%	9.79%	-6.26%	1.01%	49.42%	1.75%	-7.20%	22.27%	39.95%	-1.49%
REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	-21.68%	8.96%	-18.90%	21.73%	14.25%	30.72%	28.66%	0.53%	-0.65%	2.42%

Correlation

The correlation between MRK and REGN is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.46
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.41
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 3, 1991	0.25

Over the past year, MRK and REGN have become more correlated (0.46) than their long-term average of 0.25, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Fundamentals

Market Cap MRK : $285.89B REGN : $64.93B
EPS MRK : $3.58 REGN : $41.05
PE Ratio MRK : 32.26 REGN : 14.69
PS Ratio MRK : 4.40 REGN : 4.35
PB Ratio MRK : 6.23 REGN : 2.07
Total Revenue (TTM) MRK : $65.59B REGN : $14.92B
Gross Profit (TTM) MRK : $49.79B REGN : $12.61B
EBITDA (TTM) MRK : $22.69B REGN : $5.74B

Return for Risk

MRK vs. REGN — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

MRK

MRK Risk / Return Rank: 89
MRK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
MRK Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
MRK Omega Ratio Rank: 85
MRK Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
MRK Martin Ratio Rank: 90

REGN

REGN Risk / Return Rank: 61
REGN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
REGN Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
REGN Omega Ratio Rank: 57
REGN Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
REGN Martin Ratio Rank: 68

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

MRK vs. REGN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN). 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.

	MRK	REGN	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	0.72	+1.41
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.06	1.23	+1.83
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.15	+0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.93	0.91	+4.01
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.44	3.30	+9.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MRK vs. REGN - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MRK Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is higher than the REGN Sharpe Ratio of 0.72. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MRK and REGN, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	MRK	REGN	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14	0.72	+1.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.55	0.12	+0.42
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49	0.13	+0.36
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.16	+0.32

Drawdowns

MRK vs. REGN - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MRK drawdown since its inception was -68.61%, smaller than the maximum REGN drawdown of -91.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MRK and REGN.

Drawdown Indicators

	MRK	REGN	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-68.61%	-91.81%	+23.20%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.37%	-25.85%	+14.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-43.44%	-59.69%	+16.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.44%	-59.69%	+16.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.44%	-59.69%	+16.25%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.74%	-49.42%	+41.68%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-18.85%	-42.38%	+23.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.50%	7.16%	-2.66%

Volatility

MRK vs. REGN - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) is 8.19%, while Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) has a volatility of 12.02%. This indicates that MRK experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than REGN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MRK	REGN	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.19%	12.02%	-3.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.85%	22.49%	-4.64%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.92%	32.72%	-5.80%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.64%	30.75%	-7.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.91%	32.16%	-9.25%

Dividends

MRK vs. REGN - Dividend Comparison

MRK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.87%, more than REGN's 0.60% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.	2.87%	3.12%	3.14%	2.72%	2.52%	3.41%	3.03%	2.48%	2.60%	3.36%	3.14%	3.43%
REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	0.60%	0.46%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Financials

MRK vs. REGN - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Merck & Co., Inc. and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

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%.

REGN - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported a gross profit of 2.94B and revenue of 3.61B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 81.4%.

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%.

REGN - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported an operating income of 642.90M and revenue of 3.61B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.8%.

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%.

REGN - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported a net income of 727.20M and revenue of 3.61B, resulting in a net margin of 20.2%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MRK and REGN in my portfolio?

MRK and REGN have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MRK or REGN?

REGN has higher volatility (12.02%) compared to MRK (8.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MRK dropped -68.61% vs REGN's -91.81%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MRK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.14 vs 0.72), 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.