Merck & Co., Inc. vs Pfizer Inc.

Full side-by-side comparison — 2026

Data as of Sep 10, 2026 · Updated automatically

MRK

Price USD 144.48
P/E Ratio 120.3x
Div Yield 2.23%
Beta 0.23
Sector Health Care

PFE

Price USD 27.46
P/E Ratio 37.4x
Div Yield 6.05%
Beta 0.30
Sector Health Care

Price Overview

Metric MRK PFE
Current Price 144.48 27.46
Previous Close 144.71 27.65

Valuation

Metric MRK PFE
Trailing P/E 120.26 37.43
Forward P/E 15.75 9.83
Price / Book 8.85 1.90
Price / Sales 5.57 2.55
EV / EBITDA 14.47 8.44

Dividends & Income

Metric MRK PFE
Dividend Yield 2.23% 6.05%
Dividend Rate (Annual) 3.36 1.72
5-Year Avg Yield 2.95% 4.48%
Payout Ratio 261.52% 225.72%

Risk & Financial Health

Metric MRK PFE
Beta (Volatility) 0.23 0.30
Debt / Equity 128.41 74.25
Quick Ratio 0.74 0.85
Current Ratio 1.32 1.27

Growth & Profitability

Metric MRK PFE
Revenue Growth 5.10% 2.60%
Earnings Growth -19.30% -10.10%
Return on Equity 6.96% 5.01%
Revenue / Share 26.85 11.19
Trailing EPS 1.25 0.76
Forward EPS 9.55 2.90

Analyst Targets

Metric MRK PFE
Analyst Mean Target 148.73 28.61
Analyst High Target 186.00 35.75
Analyst Low Target 105.00 25.00

Bottom Line: MRK vs PFE

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) leads on 11 of 15 comparable metrics.

Pfizer Inc. has a lower Price / Book (1.90 vs 8.85), which may indicate the stock trades closer to its book value
Pfizer Inc. has a lower Trailing P/E (37.43 vs 120.26), which may indicate better relative value
Pfizer Inc. has a higher Dividend Yield (6.05% vs 2.23%), which tends to appeal to income-focused investors

This comparison is based on publicly available financial data and is for informational purposes only. It is not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

MRK Merck & Co., Inc.

Best for Growth Investors
• Higher Revenue Growth: 5.10%
• Higher Return on Equity: 6.96%

PFE Pfizer Inc.

Best for Value Investors
• Lower Trailing P/E: 37.43
• Lower Forward P/E: 9.83
• Lower Price / Book: 1.90
Best for Income Investors
• Higher Dividend Yield: 6.05%
• Higher 5-Year Avg Yield: 4.48%
• Lower Payout Ratio: 225.72%

Watch Out

MRK trades at 120.3x earnings vs PFE at 37.4x — a gap this large often reflects different growth expectations, not simple mispricing.

PFE's 6.05% yield looks attractive, but its 225.72% payout ratio signals the dividend may not be sustainable.

Analyst Upside / Downside

MRK
+2.9%
PFE
+4.2%

Based on analyst mean price targets. Estimates are not guaranteed and may not reflect future performance.

About These Companies

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)

Health Care · United States · NYQ

Merck & Co., Inc. operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It offers human health pharmaceutical for various areas under the Keytruda, Keytruda Qlex, Welireg, Gardasil, ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, Vaxneuvance, Capvaxive, RotaTeq, Pneumovax 23, Bridion, Prevymis, Dificid, Zerbaxa, Winrevair, Adempas/ Verquvo, Ohtuvayre, Lagevrio, Isentress/Isentress HD, Delstrigo, Pifeltro, Belsomra, Januvia, and Janumet brands. The company also provides veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services, such as livestock products under the Nuflor, Bovilis/Vista, Bovilis Cryptium, Banamine, Estrumate, Matrix, Resflor, Zuprevo, …

View MRK details →

Pfizer Inc. (PFE)

Health Care · United States · NYQ

Pfizer Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Biopharma, PC1, and Pfizer Ignite. The company offers internal medicine products, including cardiovascular metabolic diseases products under the Eliquis brand; migraine products under the Nurtec ODT/Vydura and Zavzpret brand; vaccines under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and Paxlovid for the treatment of COVID-19. It also provides inflammation and immunology products, such as Xeljanz, Enbrel, …

View PFE details →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has a better dividend yield, MRK or PFE?
Pfizer Inc. currently has the higher dividend yield. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) yields 2.23% while Pfizer Inc. (PFE) yields 6.05%. Past dividends do not guarantee future payments.
Which is more volatile, MRK or PFE?
Pfizer Inc. is more volatile based on beta. Merck & Co., Inc. has a beta of 0.23 and Pfizer Inc. has a beta of 0.30. A beta above 1.0 means higher volatility than the overall market.
Which is cheaper by P/E ratio, MRK or PFE?
Pfizer Inc. has the lower trailing P/E ratio. Merck & Co., Inc. trades at 120.3x earnings while Pfizer Inc. trades at 37.4x. A lower P/E may suggest better relative value, but could also reflect lower growth expectations.
Which has more analyst upside, MRK or PFE?
Based on mean analyst price targets, Pfizer Inc. has more upside potential. Merck & Co., Inc. has +2.9% upside and Pfizer Inc. has +4.2% upside from current prices. Analyst estimates are not guaranteed.
Can I track both MRK and PFE in one portfolio?
Yes. AllInvestView lets you add both Merck & Co., Inc. and Pfizer Inc. to the same portfolio and monitor price changes, dividends, total return, and allocation — completely free.

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