MRK
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)
Merck adds a high-quality pharma name with cleaner model fit than more specialized health-care cases. The first view is balanced around cash flow and pipeline risk.
Main company research view
Start here for AnalystScope's current fair value, model signal, thesis drivers, assumptions, normalized fundamentals, and private scenario sandbox. The printable report is secondary: a point-in-time published snapshot for archive or print use, not the primary research destination.
How to read note event vs rating
Note event tells you what changed in the latest published note. Published rating shows the stance after that event.
Both were published Jun 13, 2026.
Current model signal
Hold
Confidence: Medium
Implied return: +5.7 upside
Fair value $126 vs. current $119 (+5.7 upside).
Price vs fair value
+5.8%
Model-implied return
Stale scheduled quote
$119
Fair value
$126
Valuation method stack
Weighted fair value $126
Published method weights
DCF (Base)
$128 | 45%
NTM P/E Multiple
$125 | 35%
EV/EBITDA Cross-check
$122 | 20%
Current research conclusion
Base case stance: Hold with medium confidence as shares are currently being evaluated against an older daily scheduled quote of $119 versus $126 fair value, implying +5.7 upside. This workspace updates with the latest daily scheduled quote and reported inputs, while the printable report remains a point-in-time published snapshot.
Price basis warning
Current price-dependent output is using a stale scheduled quote. Fair value, upside / downside, and the model signal are still shown, but they should be read with caution until a fresher daily scheduled quote refresh is available.
Current model signal
Hold
Latest note event
New
Published Jun 13, 2026
Current published rating
Hold
Published Jun 13, 2026
Daily scheduled refresh
Alpha Vantage GLOBAL_QUOTE
Latest daily scheduled quote is past the freshness window. Daily scheduled refresh as of Jun 15, 2026, 7:33 AM UTC. Fresh through Jun 16, 2026, 7:33 AM UTC.
Filing refreshed
4 filed Jun 2, 2026 | Reporting period May 29, 2026
Filing refreshed Jun 17, 2026, 3:56 AM UTC. Fresh through Jun 17, 2026, 3:56 PM UTC.
Open filing sourceFundamentals refreshed
SEC XBRL companyfacts API
Live SEC companyfacts currently cover revenue, free cash flow, and net cash / net debt. Reporting period end 2025-12-31.
Fundamentals refreshed 17 Jun 2026, 03:56 UTC. Fresh through 17 Jun 2026, 15:56 UTC.
Current model signal
Hold
Confidence
Medium
Stale scheduled quote
$119
Fair value
$126
Upside / Downside
+5.7 upside
Top drivers
Keytruda durability and life-cycle management remain central to revenue quality.
Pipeline and business-development execution drive the post-concentration story.
Top risks
Product concentration and future loss-of-exclusivity risk remain meaningful.
Pipeline misses could weaken the medium-term growth bridge.
Sector / Industry
Health Care
Pharmaceuticals
Headquarters
Rahway, NJ
Market Cap
$301B
Current / Fair Value
$119 / $126
Upside / Downside
+5.7 upside
Coverage snapshot
Report updated: Jun 15, 2026
Curated public preview analysis with live price, filing metadata, and reported fundamentals overlays. Full live filing ingestion is not yet enabled.
Coverage currently spans sixty-five companies: MSFT, NVDA, AAPL, GOOGL, AMZN, META, AVGO, ORCL, AMD, NFLX, V, MA, WMT, PG, JNJ, ADBE, CSCO, TXN, COST, KO, HD, PEP, QCOM, INTU, MCD, ADP, ABT, IBM, LOW, SBUX, NKE, DIS, AMAT, LRCX, MRK, PFE, TMO, ACN, NOW, PANW, SNPS, CDNS, ADI, HON, CAT, DE, UPS, BKNG, YUM, MDLZ, FDX, CMG, TGT, LULU, GILD, AMGN, REGN, ZTS, ISRG, SYK, DHR, CL, KMB, ROST, and TJX.
Fundamental snapshot
FY2025
Normalized annual model base
Revenue
+3.1% YoY
$66.2B
Op. margin
+1.0% pts
27.0%
FCF margin
+0.2% pts
17.1%
Revenue + margin trend
Annual normalized model-base history.
Revenue
Operating margin
Model-base financial summary
Current annual model-base range: FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025
Revenue (Latest FY)
FY2025 | +3.1% vs prior FY
$66.2B
Operating Margin
+103 bps vs prior FY
27.0%
FCF (Latest FY)
17.1% margin | FY2025
$11.3B
Net Cash / (Debt)
Pipeline investment and acquisition activity keep leverage relevant
($25.5B)
Key ratios
EV / NTM EBITDA
Sector 14.2x
13.4x
P / NTM EPS
Sector 17.5x
15.8x
ROIC
Sector 10.8%
15.4%
Rule of 40
Mature pharma
20%
Base-case assumptions
These are AnalystScope's current base-case valuation inputs. The note under each number explains why that level is considered reasonable for this company; the sensitivity line shows how much fair value moves if that judgment is wrong.
Revenue CAGR (5Y)
3.5%
+/- 1.0% => +/-$3/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's base-case growth assumption, not a guarantee. It sits below the latest FY model-base revenue pace (2025.0%), so the model does not extend current strength too far into the outer years. Current company context: Strong cash generation supports valuation even as growth normalizes.
Terminal Growth
2.0%
+/- 0.5% => +/-$3/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's mature long-run growth assumption, not a perpetual hypergrowth claim. At 2.0%, it sits well below the 3.5% five-year revenue CAGR, so the model steps down from the explicit forecast period to a steadier long-run pace. For Merck & Co., Inc., that means a durable franchise can keep compounding after year five without assuming today's faster growth profile lasts indefinitely.
WACC
8.2%
+/- 0.5% => -$5/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's base-case cost-of-capital judgment, not a precise CAPM output. It reflects the current rates backdrop, equity risk premium, and the company's balance-sheet posture. Pipeline investment and acquisition activity keep leverage relevant
Operating Margin (Year 5)
28.0%
+/- 100 bps => +/-$4/sh
Why this level: This is AnalystScope's base-case margin view, not a promise of straight-line expansion. It keeps year-five margins close to today's model-base operating margin (27.0%), which implies the current margin structure is broadly durable. Margin input normalizes R&D and acquisition-related volatility while keeping pharma reinvestment needs visible.
How to read the assumptions and sensitivities
These are base-case assumptions used to estimate fair value. They are reasonable model inputs, not reported facts.
Each sensitivity line shows the estimated fair-value-per-share change from a small move in that one input while the other inputs stay fixed.
bps means basis points. 100 bps equals 1.00 percentage point.
WACC sensitivity moves in the opposite direction because a higher discount rate lowers present value, while a lower discount rate raises it.
Scenario workbench
Private scenario sandbox
This is a private modelling layer, not the public AnalystScope base case or printable snapshot. It keeps the public base case as the anchor, applies bounded changes to the four core valuation inputs, and updates your scenario fair-value estimate immediately.
Saved scenarios currently stay local to this browser for MRK. Base-case rationale remains in the public assumptions section above. Your scenario output reprices the published valuation methods from projected operating anchors when those anchors are available, while keeping market-multiple and capital-structure assumptions anchored to the AnalystScope framework.
Editable assumptions
Adjust your scenario inputs within the displayed plausible range for this company. The workbench stays anchored to the public AnalystScope base case.
This is a bounded scenario tool, not a free-form spreadsheet. Values outside the displayed range snap back to the nearest allowed value when you leave the field.
Matches the published AnalystScope base case.
Revenue CAGR (5Y)
Public AnalystScope base case: 3.5% | +/- 1.0% => +/-$3/sh
Allowed range: 0.0% to 9.5%
Terminal Growth
Public AnalystScope base case: 2.0% | +/- 0.5% => +/-$3/sh
Allowed range: 1.0% to 3.5%
WACC
Public AnalystScope base case: 8.2% | +/- 0.5% => -$5/sh
Allowed range: 6.2% to 10.2%
Operating Margin (Year 5)
Public AnalystScope base case: 28.0% | +/- 100 bps => +/-$4/sh
Allowed range: 20.0% to 36.0%
Saved private scenarios
Save up to 5 named scenarios for MRK. These are your scenarios: they never overwrite the public AnalystScope base case and remain clearly separate from public research.
Checking private workspace session...
Private scenario note
Keep a short thesis, main risk, or why this case differs from the published base case.
0 / 280
Notes stay local to this browser unless you sign in to the private workspace, and they never appear as published AnalystScope research.
No private scenarios saved yet. Make a change to the published base case, then save a named scenario here.
Published base case
Fair value
$126
Upside / Downside
+5.7 upside
Model signal
Hold
Published base-case output
Scenario output reprices the published DCF and multiple methods from projected year-5 revenue, margin, free cash flow, EBITDA, and EPS anchors. Market multiples and capital structure stay anchored to the published base framework.
Fair value
$126
$0/sh vs published base case
Upside / Downside
+5.7 upside
+0.0 pts vs published base case
Model signal
Hold
Unchanged versus the published base case.
Method movement inside the scenario
This breakdown shows what moved inside the published valuation framework when you edit the scenario. The published AnalystScope base case stays anchored, and any method without a clean projected anchor remains pinned to that framework.
Method rows below reflect the current edited scenario state, not just the saved scenario snapshots.
Influence tags are directional rather than exact attribution. They estimate which edited input is moving each method most by reverting one assumption at a time while the other edited inputs stay in place.
| Method | Published base | Edited scenario | Delta | How it moved / main drivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DCF (Base) DCF-style | 45% weight | $128 | $128 | $0/sh | Base-aligned This method is supported by the model-native bridge and currently stays aligned with the published base case. Edited inputs are largely offsetting each other, so this row stays close to the published base case. |
NTM P/E Multiple P/E-style | 35% weight | $125 | $125 | $0/sh | Base-aligned This method is supported by the model-native bridge and currently stays aligned with the published base case. Edited inputs are largely offsetting each other, so this row stays close to the published base case. |
EV/EBITDA Cross-check EV-based multiple | 20% weight | $122 | $122 | $0/sh | Base-aligned This method is supported by the model-native bridge and currently stays aligned with the published base case. Edited inputs are largely offsetting each other, so this row stays close to the published base case. |
Weighted fair value Published framework result | Published framework result | $126 | $126 | -$0/sh | Moved Combines the repriced method outputs using the published AnalystScope weights. No single edited assumption is dominating this move in a material way. |
Published base case vs private scenarios
Compare the published AnalystScope base case against your saved private scenarios in one view. Saved scenarios remain local to this browser, and the table below reflects saved snapshots rather than any unsaved edits currently sitting in the editor.
Fair-value comparisons use the same workbench recalculation path as the editor above.
Published base case stays pinned as the anchor row.
| Scenario | Revenue CAGR (5Y) | Terminal Growth | WACC | Op. Margin (Y5) | Fair Value | Upside / Downside | Model Signal | Delta vs Base | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnalystScope base case PublishedOfficial AnalystScope anchor row. | 3.5% | 2.0% | 8.2% | 28.0% | $126 | +5.7 upside | Hold | Published anchor |
Model-base financial statements
AnalystScope annual model-base statements in USD across FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025.
Income statement
| Line item | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $60.1B | $64.2B | $66.2B |
| Gross Profit | $43.9B | $47.4B | $49.0B |
| Operating Income | $13.2B | $16.7B | $17.9B |
| EBITDA | $16.2B | $19.9B | $21.3B |
| Net Income | $8.4B | $11.6B | $13.2B |
Balance sheet
| Line item | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash & Investments | $7.0B | $7.5B | $8.0B |
| Total Debt | $34.0B | $34.0B | $33.5B |
| Net Cash / (Debt) | ($27.0B) | ($26.5B) | ($25.5B) |
| Total Assets | $106.0B | $109.0B | $112.0B |
| Total Liabilities | $66.0B | $67.0B | $68.0B |
| Shareholders' Equity | $40.0B | $42.0B | $44.0B |
Cash flow
| Line item | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | $12.0B | $13.4B | $14.0B |
| Depreciation & Amortization | $3.0B | $3.2B | $3.4B |
| Capital Expenditures | ($2.4B) | ($2.6B) | ($2.7B) |
| Free Cash Flow | $9.6B | $10.8B | $11.3B |
Model base vs reported fundamentals
Side-by-side view of the latest live reported fundamentals versus the current AnalystScope model base used in public valuation and thesis work.
Reported numbers show the latest company print. Model base is the comparable operating base AnalystScope uses for valuation work, which can include standardization, conservative balance-sheet treatment, working-capital cleanup, and through-cycle adjustments when current reported figures do not look durable.
Reported fundamentals source
SEC XBRL companyfacts API
Live SEC companyfacts currently cover revenue, free cash flow, and net cash / net debt. Reporting period end 2025-12-31.
Fundamentals refreshed 17 Jun 2026, 03:56 UTC. Fresh through 17 Jun 2026, 15:56 UTC.
Model-base impact on the thesis
Merck is modeled as a mature pharmaceutical compounder with strong cash flow but real product-concentration and pipeline transition risk.
Model-base diagnostics
Latest model base FY2025 versus the current live reported snapshot where available.
Income statement
Revenue
FY2025 $66.2B vs reported TTM $65.0B (+1.8%)
Cash flow
Free cash flow
FY2025 $11.3B vs reported TTM $12.4B (-8.6%)
FCF margin
FY2025 17.1% vs reported 19.0% (-1.9 pts)
Balance sheet
Net cash / (debt)
FY2025 Net debt $25.5B vs reported Net debt $43.6B
| Metric | Live reported | Status | Model base | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (TTM) | $65.0B | Live reported | $66.2B +3.1% YoY Adjustment: Model revenue smooths product-cycle, vaccine, and portfolio transition timing. | Model base |
| Operating Margin | Unavailable | Unavailable | 27.0% +103 bps YoY Adjustment: Margin input normalizes R&D and acquisition-related volatility while keeping pharma reinvestment needs visible. | Model base |
| FCF (TTM) | $12.4B | Live reported | $11.3B 17.1% margin Adjustment: FCF input smooths working-capital and tax timing without ignoring pipeline investment. | Model base |
| Net Cash / (Debt) | ($43.6B) | Live reported | ($25.5B) Pipeline investment and acquisition activity keep leverage relevant Adjustment: Balance-sheet treatment keeps acquisition-related debt and pipeline funding requirements explicit. | Model base |
Reported vs durable model base
How to read this
Reported = the latest company-reported figure. Model base = AnalystScope's comparable operating base used for valuation and thesis work. It may include standardization, conservative balance-sheet treatment, working-capital cleanup, and through-cycle adjustments when current reported numbers do not look durable.
This is an analyst model base, not a claim of perfect adjusted truth. Larger gaps can reflect deliberate cyclical or base-case adjustments, not just light accounting cleanup.
Why the model base differs
Merck is modeled as a mature pharmaceutical compounder with strong cash flow but real product-concentration and pipeline transition risk.
Rows are sorted by largest comparable adjustment first.
| Metric | Model base | Live reported | Variance vs reported | Adjustment size | Why lower / higher? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Net Cash / (Debt) | ($25.5B) FY2025 model base | ($43.6B) Live reported balance sheet | +$18.1B / +28% of revenue | Large analyst adjustment | Model base is less conservative than the live reported balance-sheet figure because the latest reported balance does not appear fully representative. It keeps acquisition-related debt and pipeline funding requirements explicit. |
FCF (TTM) | $11.3B FY2025 model base | $12.4B Live reported TTM | -$1.1B / -9% | Close to reported | Model base is lower than live reported because cash generation is being smoothed for timing effects rather than taken at face value. It smooths working-capital and tax timing without ignoring pipeline investment. |
Revenue (TTM) | $66.2B FY2025 model base | $65.0B Live reported TTM | +$1.2B / +2% | Close to reported | Model base is higher than live reported because the thesis does not assume the latest reported softness is the durable revenue run-rate. It smooths product-cycle, vaccine, and portfolio transition timing. |
Operating Margin | 27.0% FY2025 model base | Unavailable Live reported margin | Unavailable | Unavailable | AnalystScope keeps a separate model base when the latest reported figure is unavailable or not directly comparable. It normalizes R&D and acquisition-related volatility while keeping pharma reinvestment needs visible. |
Ratios + trends
Annual model-base income-statement, cash-flow, and balance-sheet metrics, plus cross-statement quality relationships with compact prior-FY direction cues, derived from the curated statement backbone.
Basis: FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025. Live reported fundamentals remain available in the reconciliation section.
Operating and cash-flow trends
Revenue growth (1Y)
+3.1%
Gross margin
74.0%
Operating margin
27.0%
Operating margin change vs prior FY
+1.0 pts
EBITDA margin
32.2%
EBITDA margin change vs prior FY
+1.2 pts
Operating income growth (1Y)
+7.2%
Net margin
19.9%
FCF margin
17.1%
FCF margin change vs prior FY
+0.2 pts
FCF growth (1Y)
+4.6%
Balance sheet quality
Cash & investments
$8.0B
Total debt
$33.5B
Net cash / (debt)
Net debt $25.5B
Net cash / (debt) as % of revenue
Net debt 38.5% of revenue
Liabilities / assets
vs FY2024 (-0.8 pts)
60.7%
Cross-statement quality
Gross-to-operating spread
47.0 pts
Operating cash flow / net income
vs FY2024 (-0.1x)
1.1x
Operating cash flow / EBITDA
vs FY2024 (-0.0x)
0.7x
Free cash flow / net income
vs FY2024 (-0.1x)
0.9x
CapEx as % of revenue
vs FY2024 (+0.0 pts)
4.1%
CapEx as % of operating cash flow
vs FY2024 (-0.1 pts)
19.3%
CapEx / D&A
vs FY2024 (-0.0x)
0.8x
Cash & investments / total debt
vs FY2024 (+0.0x)
0.2x
Shareholders' equity as % of revenue
66.5%
Asset turnover
vs FY2024 (+0.0x)
0.6x
Financial diagnostics
Compact model-base diagnostics for analyst triage, highlighting where the durable valuation base is diverging most clearly from the latest reported picture.
Adjustment focus
Large analyst adjustmentBalance sheet | Net Cash / (Debt) | +$18.1B / +28% of revenue
Revenue momentum
Weakening+3.1% latest 1Y growth
vs +6.8% prior 1Y
Operating margin trend
Improving27.0% latest margin
+103 bps vs prior FY
FCF margin trend
Stable17.1% latest FCF margin
+25 bps vs prior FY
Balance-sheet posture
StableNet debt 38.5% of revenue
vs Net debt 41.3% of revenue prior FY
Thesis scorecard
Qualitative scorecard of the main thesis dimensions behind the current investment view.
Growth
ModerateGrowth is supported by key franchises but faces product-cycle risk.
Profitability
StrongPharma margins and cash generation remain strong.
Balance sheet
ModerateDebt is manageable but relevant after portfolio investment.
Valuation
ModerateThe valuation looks reasonable but not deeply discounted.
Execution / Resilience
ModeratePipeline execution matters as key franchises mature.
Key drivers
Keytruda durability and life-cycle management remain central to revenue quality.
Pipeline and business-development execution drive the post-concentration story.
Strong cash generation supports valuation even as growth normalizes.
Key risks
Product concentration and future loss-of-exclusivity risk remain meaningful.
Pipeline misses could weaken the medium-term growth bridge.
Acquisition spending could reduce balance-sheet flexibility.
What would change our view
Clearer pipeline evidence would improve confidence in the post-Keytruda bridge.
A wider discount to fair value would make the cash-flow story more compelling.
Pipeline setbacks or weaker core-franchise growth would reduce conviction.
Near-term catalysts
Pipeline updates and regulatory milestones remain key.
Core franchise growth and vaccine demand are important operating signals.
Business-development discipline can affect confidence in the medium-term bridge.
What we are watching
Whether pipeline progress is enough to offset future concentration risk.
How durable core franchise growth remains against tougher comps.
Whether cash generation stays strong while reinvestment remains elevated.
Coverage metadata
How to read note event vs rating
Note event tells you what changed in the latest published note. Published rating shows the stance after that event.
Both were published Jun 13, 2026.
Report updated
Jun 13, 2026
Coverage status
Active coverage
Latest note event
New
Jun 13, 2026
Current published rating
Hold
Jun 13, 2026
Analyst note
Watching Keytruda durability, pipeline milestones, and whether cash flow can fund the next growth bridge.
Coverage timeline
Timeline events show published note events and the rating that followed each event. The current model signal is shown separately above.
Jun 13, 2026
Started coverage with a Hold view on strong pharma cash flow versus pipeline and concentration risk.
Bull / Base / Bear scenarios
Bull case
$140
Normalized support: Growth, margin, and cash-flow trends are mixed versus the upside case.
Base case
$126
Normalized support: Current margin, cash-generation, and balance-sheet profile are mixed.
Bear case
$100
Downside protection: Cash generation and balance-sheet support are mixed in the bear case.
Why this rating
The stock is currently being evaluated against $119 versus a base-case fair value of $126, implying +5.7 upside. That supports a Hold rating with Medium confidence under the current model.
Stale scheduled quote
$119
Fair value
$126
Upside / Downside
+5.7 upside
Model signal / Confidence
Hold / Medium
Confidence framing
Method agreement / dispersion
Valuation methods are tightly grouped, with implied values ranging from $122 to $128.
Margin strength
Operating margin is 27.0%, with +103 bps vs prior FY.
Balance sheet position
Balance sheet positioning currently reflects net debt of ($25.5B), with pipeline investment and acquisition activity keep leverage relevant.
Valuation methods
| Method | Implied Value | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| DCF (Base) | $128 | 45% |
| NTM P/E Multiple | $125 | 35% |
| EV/EBITDA Cross-check | $122 | 20% |
Buy / Hold / Sell output
Current model recommendation
Hold
Price: $119
Fair value: $126
Implied upside / downside: +5.7 upside
Current published rating: Hold on Jun 13, 2026
The displayed rating is anchored to the base-case fair value. Buy is assigned at 8% or greater implied upside, Hold between -10% and +8%, and Sell at -10% or worse, with borderline calls cross-checked against normalized operating, cash-generation, and balance-sheet support. Confidence reflects valuation dispersion, operating margin profile, and balance-sheet strength.
What changed section
2026-06-13
Added to AnalystScope coverage
Impact: Started coverage with a Hold view on strong pharma cash flow versus pipeline and concentration risk.
2026-06-13
Initialized normalized annual model base
Impact: Adds a mature pharma anchor while avoiding specialized health-care model complexity.