NVCR vs. MRK
NVCR (NovoCure Limited) and MRK (Merck & Co., Inc.) are both stocks. Both are in the Healthcare sector — NVCR in Medical Instruments & Supplies, MRK in Drug Manufacturers - General. Over the past 10 years, NVCR returned 4.24%/yr vs 11.61%/yr for MRK. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NVCR vs. MRK - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NVCR achieves a 39.13% return, which is significantly higher than MRK's 15.10% return. Over the past 10 years, NVCR has underperformed MRK with an annualized return of 4.24%, while MRK has yielded a comparatively higher 11.61% annualized return.
NVCR
- 1D
- 11.39%
- 1M
- 13.29%
- YTD
- 39.13%
- 6M
- 52.98%
- 1Y
- 7.60%
- 3Y*
- -39.81%
- 5Y*
- -38.57%
- 10Y*
- 4.24%
MRK
- 1D
- 4.85%
- 1M
- 6.28%
- YTD
- 15.10%
- 6M
- 21.11%
- 1Y
- 59.23%
- 3Y*
- 5.24%
- 5Y*
- 13.69%
- 10Y*
- 11.61%
NVCR vs. MRK - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NVCR NovoCure Limited | 39.13% | -56.61% | 99.60% | -79.65% | -2.30% | -56.61% | 105.34% | 151.70% | 65.74% | 157.32% |
MRK Merck & Co., Inc. | 15.10% | 9.79% | -6.26% | 1.01% | 49.42% | 1.75% | -7.20% | 22.27% | 39.95% | -1.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between NVCR and MRK is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 5, 2015 | 0.16 |
The correlation between NVCR and MRK shifts across timeframes, from 0.11 (5 years) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
NVCR:
$2.05B
MRK:
$297.28B
NVCR:
-$1.54
MRK:
$3.58
NVCR:
2.99
MRK:
4.57
NVCR:
6.21
MRK:
6.48
NVCR:
$674.41M
MRK:
$65.59B
NVCR:
$507.13M
MRK:
$49.79B
NVCR:
-$164.04M
MRK:
$22.69B
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Return for Risk
NVCR vs. MRK — Risk / Return Rank
NVCR
MRK
NVCR vs. MRK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for NovoCure Limited (NVCR) 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.
| NVCR | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.10 | 1.38 | -0.28 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.17 | 5.24 | -5.07 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.26 | 13.14 | -12.88 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NVCR | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.10 | 2.18 | -2.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.49 | 0.58 | -1.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 | 0.51 | -0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | -0.00 | 0.48 | -0.49 |
Drawdowns
NVCR vs. MRK - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NVCR drawdown since its inception was -95.55%, which is greater than MRK's maximum drawdown of -68.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NVCR and MRK.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NVCR | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -95.55% | -68.61% | -26.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -45.67% | -11.37% | -34.30% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -79.39% | -43.44% | -35.95% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -95.55% | -43.44% | -52.11% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -95.55% | -43.44% | -52.11% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -92.03% | -4.06% | -87.97% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -52.15% | -18.84% | -33.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 29.28% | 4.52% | +24.76% |
Volatility
NVCR vs. MRK - Volatility Comparison
NovoCure Limited (NVCR) has a higher volatility of 17.57% compared to Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) at 9.44%. This indicates that NVCR'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
| NVCR | MRK | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 17.57% | 9.44% | +8.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 58.06% | 18.19% | +39.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 74.37% | 27.31% | +47.06% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 79.55% | 23.72% | +55.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 72.25% | 22.96% | +49.29% |
Dividends
NVCR vs. MRK - Dividend Comparison
NVCR has not paid dividends to shareholders, while MRK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MRK Merck & Co., Inc. | 2.76% | 3.12% | 3.14% | 2.72% | 2.52% | 3.41% | 3.03% | 2.48% | 2.60% | 3.36% | 3.14% | 3.43% |
NVCR NovoCure Limited | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financials
NVCR vs. MRK - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between NovoCure Limited 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
NVCR vs. MRK - Profitability Comparison
NVCR - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, NovoCure Limited reported a gross profit of 135.13M and revenue of 174.06M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 77.6%.
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%.
NVCR - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, NovoCure Limited reported an operating income of -67.42M and revenue of 174.06M, resulting in an operating margin of -38.7%.
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%.
NVCR - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, NovoCure Limited reported a net income of -71.14M and revenue of 174.06M, resulting in a net margin of -40.9%.
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
NVCR and MRK have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NVCR has higher volatility (17.57%) compared to MRK (9.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NVCR dropped -95.55% vs MRK's -68.61%.
MRK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.18 vs 0.10), 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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