PFE vs. MRK

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK).

Performance

PFE vs. MRK - Performance Comparison

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

PFE vs. MRK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PFE Pfizer Inc.	14.66%	0.65%	-2.22%	-41.26%	-10.41%	66.70%	3.07%	-6.91%	24.82%	15.90%
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.	15.13%	9.79%	-6.26%	1.01%	49.42%	1.75%	-7.20%	22.27%	39.95%	-1.49%

Fundamentals

Market Cap PFE : $159.66B MRK : $299.28B
EPS PFE : $1.36 MRK : $7.30
PE Ratio PFE : 20.61 MRK : 16.47
PEG Ratio PFE : 0.37 MRK : 0.01
PS Ratio PFE : 2.56 MRK : 4.63
PB Ratio PFE : 1.72 MRK : 5.77
Total Revenue (TTM) PFE : $62.58B MRK : $65.01B
Gross Profit (TTM) PFE : $44.01B MRK : $52.98B
EBITDA (TTM) PFE : $15.10B MRK : $28.80B

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with PFE having a 14.66% return and MRK slightly higher at 15.13%. Over the past 10 years, PFE has underperformed MRK with an annualized return of 4.32%, while MRK has yielded a comparatively higher 12.31% annualized return.

PFE

• 1D: 1.12%
• 1M: 1.56%
• YTD: 14.66%
• 6M: 14.02%
• 1Y: 18.86%
• 3Y*: -6.22%
• 5Y*: -0.14%
• 10Y*: 4.32%

MRK

• 1D: 1.85%
• 1M: -2.13%
• YTD: 15.13%
• 6M: 45.62%
• 1Y: 38.88%
• 3Y*: 7.42%
• 5Y*: 13.86%
• 10Y*: 12.31%

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

Return for Risk

PFE vs. MRK — Risk / Return Rank

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

PFE

PFE Risk / Return Rank: 65
PFE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
PFE Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
PFE Omega Ratio Rank: 59
PFE Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
PFE Martin Ratio Rank: 69

MRK

MRK Risk / Return Rank: 79
MRK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
MRK Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
MRK Omega Ratio Rank: 76
MRK Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
MRK Martin Ratio Rank: 79

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.

PFE vs. MRK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pfizer Inc. (PFE) 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.

	PFE	MRK	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.71	1.34	-0.64
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.17	1.96	-0.79
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.25	-0.10
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.32	2.19	-0.87
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.18	5.34	-2.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PFE vs. MRK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PFE Sharpe Ratio is 0.71, which is lower than the MRK Sharpe Ratio of 1.34. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PFE and MRK, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	PFE	MRK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.71	1.34	-0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.01	0.60	-0.60
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.18	0.54	-0.36
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.49	-0.22

Correlation

The correlation between PFE and MRK is 0.52, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

PFE vs. MRK - Dividend Comparison

PFE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.13%, more than MRK's 2.76% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PFE Pfizer Inc.	6.13%	6.91%	6.33%	5.70%	3.12%	2.64%	3.92%	3.68%	3.12%	3.53%	3.69%	3.47%
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%

Drawdowns

PFE vs. MRK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PFE drawdown since its inception was -58.96%, smaller than the maximum MRK drawdown of -68.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PFE and MRK.

Drawdown Indicators

	PFE	MRK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-58.96%	-68.61%	+9.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.59%	-15.67%	+3.08%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-58.96%	-43.44%	-15.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-58.96%	-43.44%	-15.52%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-42.75%	-4.04%	-38.71%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-17.33%	-18.89%	+1.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.13%	7.44%	-1.31%

Volatility

PFE vs. MRK - Volatility Comparison

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has a higher volatility of 6.75% compared to Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) at 5.85%. This indicates that PFE'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.

Volatility by Period

	PFE	MRK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.75%	5.85%	+0.90%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	18.50%	19.79%	-1.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	26.73%	29.08%	-2.35%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.46%	23.30%	+2.16%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.90%	22.68%	+1.22%

Financials

PFE vs. MRK - Profitability Comparison

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

PFE - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Pfizer Inc. reported a gross profit of 12.29B and revenue of 17.56B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 70.0%.

MRK - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. reported a gross profit of 15.20B and revenue of 16.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 92.7%.

PFE - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Pfizer Inc. reported an operating income of 3.69B and revenue of 17.56B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.0%.

MRK - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. reported an operating income of 8.74B and revenue of 16.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 53.3%.

PFE - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Pfizer Inc. reported a net income of -1.65B and revenue of 17.56B, resulting in a net margin of -9.4%.

MRK - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. reported a net income of 2.96B and revenue of 16.40B, resulting in a net margin of 18.1%.