Analysis of Profitability Ratios
Quarterly Data
Profitability ratios measure the company ability to generate profitable sales from its resources (assets).
Profitability Ratios (Summary)
Merck & Co. Inc., profitability ratios (quarterly data)
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31).
The company's profitability profile from early 2022 through early 2026 is characterized by a period of high stability, a significant contraction during 2023, a strong recovery throughout 2024 and 2025, and a subsequent decline in the first quarter of 2026.
- Gross Profit Margin
- A consistent upward trajectory is observed for the majority of the period, rising from 70.72% in March 2022 to a peak of 77.18% in September 2025. This suggests a sustained improvement in production efficiency or pricing power. However, a downturn occurred in the final two quarters, with the margin receding to 73.91% by March 2026.
- Operating and Net Profit Margins
- These metrics exhibit extreme volatility. Both margins remained strong through early 2023 but suffered a severe collapse starting in June 2023, with the net profit margin reaching a low of 0.61% and the operating profit margin hitting 3.92% in December 2023. A robust recovery followed in 2024, with the net profit margin returning to 26.68% by December 2024 and peaking at 29.63% in September 2025. A sharp contraction is again evident in March 2026, where the net profit margin dropped to 13.59% and the operating profit margin fell to 18.18%.
- Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA)
- The returns on equity and assets closely mirror the fluctuations seen in the net profit margins. ROE declined from a high of 38.34% in June 2022 to a minimum of 0.97% in December 2023, before rebounding to 36.96% by December 2024. Similarly, ROA dropped from 15.48% in June 2022 to a low of 0.34% in December 2023, later recovering to 15.14% in March 2024. Both metrics showed a marked decline in the final quarter of the analysis, with ROE falling to 19.48% and ROA to 6.94% by March 2026.
The divergence between the relatively stable gross profit margin and the volatile operating and net margins indicates that the profitability shocks experienced in 2023 and early 2026 were likely driven by operating expenses, non-operating losses, or one-time charges rather than a failure in core product pricing or direct cost of goods sold.
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Return on Sales
Return on Investment
Gross Profit Margin
Merck & Co. Inc., gross profit margin calculation (quarterly data)
| Mar 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 | Sep 30, 2025 | Jun 30, 2025 | Mar 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Sep 30, 2024 | Jun 30, 2024 | Mar 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 | Jun 30, 2023 | Mar 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit | 12,091) | 10,849) | 13,421) | 12,249) | 12,110) | 11,796) | 12,577) | 12,367) | 12,235) | 10,719) | 11,698) | 11,011) | 10,561) | 9,949) | 11,025) | 10,377) | 10,521) | ||||||
| Sales | 16,286) | 16,400) | 17,276) | 15,806) | 15,529) | 15,624) | 16,657) | 16,112) | 15,775) | 14,631) | 15,962) | 15,035) | 14,487) | 13,830) | 14,959) | 14,593) | 15,901) | ||||||
| Profitability Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross profit margin1 | 73.91% | 74.80% | 77.18% | 76.60% | 76.42% | 76.32% | 75.82% | 75.25% | 74.37% | 73.17% | 72.86% | 72.96% | 72.43% | 70.63% | 70.49% | 70.41% | 70.72% | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross Profit Margin, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 70.68% | 70.24% | 69.74% | 70.93% | 70.69% | 69.99% | 67.21% | 62.75% | 62.28% | 62.42% | 65.76% | 68.91% | 69.43% | 70.00% | 69.62% | 70.48% | 69.53% | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 66.72% | 65.75% | 64.71% | 62.99% | 61.48% | 59.85% | 58.71% | 61.56% | 64.76% | 68.60% | 72.35% | 72.87% | 73.65% | 74.17% | 73.99% | 74.00% | 73.30% | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 70.46% | 71.08% | 69.50% | 70.29% | 70.47% | 71.08% | 74.91% | 75.38% | 75.71% | 76.24% | 76.54% | 77.01% | 77.68% | 78.04% | 78.82% | 79.13% | 79.62% | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 58.94% | 59.11% | 59.53% | 59.66% | 59.74% | 59.50% | 59.37% | 59.27% | 58.39% | 58.74% | 58.77% | 59.17% | 60.22% | 60.21% | 60.65% | 60.77% | 60.77% | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 82.83% | 83.04% | 83.03% | 82.64% | 81.70% | 81.31% | 80.91% | 80.75% | 80.16% | 79.25% | 78.67% | 77.77% | 77.67% | 76.77% | 75.61% | 75.98% | 74.40% | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 79.01% | 78.44% | 78.31% | 78.42% | 78.17% | 78.15% | 75.98% | 75.56% | 75.62% | 75.87% | 78.66% | 79.27% | 78.94% | 79.03% | 74.31% | 75.30% | 75.50% | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 67.82% | 67.88% | 68.08% | 67.92% | 68.30% | 69.07% | 69.05% | 69.06% | 69.20% | 68.82% | 68.54% | 68.06% | 67.34% | 67.26% | 67.43% | 67.86% | 67.97% | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 73.51% | 74.33% | 73.39% | 72.12% | 72.28% | 71.94% | 67.73% | 58.18% | 58.09% | 58.10% | 60.97% | 69.61% | 68.61% | 65.77% | 65.53% | 62.18% | 60.35% | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 84.55% | 85.35% | 85.39% | 85.57% | 85.79% | 86.13% | 86.12% | 86.16% | 86.32% | 86.16% | 85.96% | 86.42% | 86.96% | 87.18% | 85.39% | 84.97% | 84.65% | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 40.78% | 40.93% | 41.27% | 41.18% | 41.34% | 41.28% | 40.77% | 40.76% | 40.40% | 39.90% | 39.87% | 39.75% | 40.28% | 42.24% | 44.42% | 46.63% | 48.37% | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 86.24% | 86.24% | 86.28% | 86.11% | 86.03% | 86.11% | 86.12% | 86.45% | 86.86% | 87.21% | 87.80% | 87.92% | 88.04% | 87.90% | 88.00% | 88.13% | 87.95% | ||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31).
1 Q1 2026 Calculation
Gross profit margin = 100
× (Gross profitQ1 2026
+ Gross profitQ4 2025
+ Gross profitQ3 2025
+ Gross profitQ2 2025)
÷ (SalesQ1 2026
+ SalesQ4 2025
+ SalesQ3 2025
+ SalesQ2 2025)
= 100 × (12,091 + 10,849 + 13,421 + 12,249)
÷ (16,286 + 16,400 + 17,276 + 15,806)
= 73.91%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The gross profit margin demonstrates a sustained period of expansion from early 2022 through late 2025, followed by a moderate contraction in the first quarter of 2026. The overall trajectory indicates a significant improvement in cost efficiency or product mix optimization over the majority of the analyzed period, although recent data suggests a reversal of this trend.
- Stability and Initial Growth (2022–2023)
- During 2022, the gross profit margin remained remarkably stable, oscillating within a narrow range between 70.41% and 70.72%. A definitive upward shift occurred in March 2023, where the margin rose to 72.43%, establishing a new baseline and initiating a trend of consistent quarterly growth throughout the remainder of the year, ending at 73.17% in December 2023.
- Accelerated Margin Expansion (2024–2025)
- The expansion accelerated throughout 2024, with the margin increasing from 74.37% in March to 76.32% by December. This trend peaked in September 2025 at 77.18%, the highest value in the series. This peak coincided with the highest quarterly sales figure of 17,276 million US dollars, suggesting that the company successfully leveraged economies of scale or increased the proportion of high-margin revenue streams.
- Recent Performance Deceleration (Late 2025–2026)
- A downward trend emerged in the final quarters of the period. The margin declined to 74.80% in December 2025 and further retracted to 73.91% by March 2026. While the gross profit in March 2026 (12,091 million US dollars) remains substantially higher than the 2022 levels, the compression in the margin indicates that the cost of goods sold began to increase at a faster rate than sales revenue during this timeframe.
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Operating Profit Margin
Merck & Co. Inc., operating profit margin calculation (quarterly data)
| Mar 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 | Sep 30, 2025 | Jun 30, 2025 | Mar 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Sep 30, 2024 | Jun 30, 2024 | Mar 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 | Jun 30, 2023 | Mar 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income (loss) | (3,396) | 3,851) | 6,507) | 4,992) | 5,868) | 4,299) | 3,928) | 6,048) | 5,637) | (1,967) | 5,746) | (5,163) | 3,739) | 3,439) | 4,012) | 4,925) | 5,569) | ||||||
| Sales | 16,286) | 16,400) | 17,276) | 15,806) | 15,529) | 15,624) | 16,657) | 16,112) | 15,775) | 14,631) | 15,962) | 15,035) | 14,487) | 13,830) | 14,959) | 14,593) | 15,901) | ||||||
| Profitability Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating profit margin1 | 18.18% | 32.64% | 33.73% | 30.00% | 31.51% | 31.03% | 21.60% | 24.75% | 6.93% | 3.92% | 13.08% | 10.34% | 27.85% | 30.27% | 30.66% | 33.04% | 28.85% | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Profit Margin, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 24.41% | 24.65% | 15.16% | 18.80% | 17.56% | 16.22% | 24.89% | 22.31% | 23.50% | 23.49% | 27.32% | 31.03% | 28.49% | 31.21% | 30.59% | 30.33% | 32.68% | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 29.77% | 25.83% | 25.14% | 24.45% | 22.71% | 22.66% | 19.97% | 20.96% | 24.72% | 29.35% | 34.55% | 37.50% | 36.07% | 38.57% | 39.31% | 38.04% | 32.78% | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 20.55% | 20.75% | 18.86% | 16.70% | 15.24% | -15.50% | -14.05% | -14.39% | -14.30% | 16.18% | 16.96% | 17.29% | 18.13% | 17.96% | 19.04% | 18.19% | 16.79% | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 19.21% | 19.09% | 19.01% | 18.39% | 20.26% | 20.37% | 20.11% | 21.22% | 21.05% | 21.77% | 23.83% | 25.06% | 27.02% | 27.61% | 27.35% | 25.44% | 25.23% | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 43.63% | 40.35% | 38.84% | 32.37% | 28.74% | 28.64% | 24.81% | 23.28% | 20.80% | 18.92% | 18.42% | 24.17% | 22.45% | 24.97% | 24.65% | 25.50% | 25.94% | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 35.46% | 34.66% | 36.75% | 28.03% | 28.77% | 5.81% | 2.92% | 9.26% | 5.79% | 28.24% | 30.37% | 31.18% | 33.03% | 27.17% | 22.39% | 25.78% | 26.56% | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 26.39% | 26.85% | 25.44% | 23.67% | 23.59% | 23.42% | 24.42% | 25.31% | 25.04% | 24.90% | 25.55% | 25.61% | 25.21% | 24.63% | 23.89% | 23.47% | 23.76% | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 22.96% | 22.76% | 21.85% | 23.23% | 19.29% | 19.51% | 9.56% | -4.19% | -2.08% | 2.15% | 14.36% | 28.13% | 34.44% | 34.83% | 33.59% | 30.37% | 26.12% | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 24.32% | 24.95% | 25.89% | 27.02% | 27.20% | 28.10% | 28.69% | 28.95% | 29.40% | 30.85% | 32.23% | 34.20% | 35.79% | 38.93% | 45.45% | 48.19% | 55.08% | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 17.46% | 17.38% | 17.16% | 17.13% | 17.23% | 17.11% | 16.93% | 17.01% | 16.38% | 16.00% | 15.81% | 15.42% | 16.29% | 18.69% | 20.54% | 22.51% | 23.83% | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 38.31% | 34.77% | 34.06% | 34.36% | -6.69% | -2.11% | -2.54% | -3.37% | 41.16% | 38.83% | 40.16% | 41.72% | 43.93% | 48.23% | 47.72% | 48.85% | 36.93% | ||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31).
1 Q1 2026 Calculation
Operating profit margin = 100
× (Operating income (loss)Q1 2026
+ Operating income (loss)Q4 2025
+ Operating income (loss)Q3 2025
+ Operating income (loss)Q2 2025)
÷ (SalesQ1 2026
+ SalesQ4 2025
+ SalesQ3 2025
+ SalesQ2 2025)
= 100 × (-3,396 + 3,851 + 6,507 + 4,992)
÷ (16,286 + 16,400 + 17,276 + 15,806)
= 18.18%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The operating profit margin exhibits significant volatility over the analyzed period, characterized by an initial phase of stability, a severe contraction throughout 2023, a strong recovery through 2024 and 2025, and a sharp decline in the first quarter of 2026.
- Margin Stability and Initial Performance (2022)
- During the first four quarters of 2022, profitability remained relatively stable, with operating profit margins fluctuating within a tight range between 28.85% and 33.04%. This period was marked by consistent operating income, peaking at 5,569 million in March 2022.
- Profitability Contraction and Volatility (2023)
- A significant downward trend emerged in 2023. The operating profit margin fell sharply to 10.34% in June 2023 and reached a period low of 3.92% by December 2023. This decline is closely associated with periods of negative operating income, specifically in June 2023 (-5,163 million) and December 2023 (-1,967 million), indicating substantial operational headwinds or one-time charges during this fiscal year.
- Recovery and Peak Performance (2024 – 2025)
- A robust recovery phase is observed starting in early 2024. The margin improved from 6.93% in March 2024 to 31.03% by December 2024. This upward trajectory continued into 2025, with the margin reaching its highest point of 33.73% in September 2025. This recovery was supported by an increase in sales, which peaked at 17,276 million during the same quarter.
- Recent Performance Divergence (2026)
- The final period analyzed shows a abrupt reversal in profitability. As of March 31, 2026, the operating profit margin contracted to 18.18%, coinciding with a return to negative operating income of -3,396 million, despite sales remaining relatively strong at 16,286 million.
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Net Profit Margin
Merck & Co. Inc., net profit margin calculation (quarterly data)
| Mar 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 | Sep 30, 2025 | Jun 30, 2025 | Mar 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Sep 30, 2024 | Jun 30, 2024 | Mar 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 | Jun 30, 2023 | Mar 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc. | (4,240) | 2,963) | 5,785) | 4,427) | 5,079) | 3,743) | 3,157) | 5,455) | 4,762) | (1,226) | 4,745) | (5,975) | 2,821) | 3,017) | 3,248) | 3,944) | 4,310) | ||||||
| Sales | 16,286) | 16,400) | 17,276) | 15,806) | 15,529) | 15,624) | 16,657) | 16,112) | 15,775) | 14,631) | 15,962) | 15,035) | 14,487) | 13,830) | 14,959) | 14,593) | 15,901) | ||||||
| Profitability Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net profit margin1 | 13.59% | 28.08% | 29.63% | 25.79% | 27.27% | 26.68% | 19.23% | 21.98% | 3.76% | 0.61% | 7.77% | 5.34% | 22.52% | 24.49% | 25.88% | 29.00% | 26.27% | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Profit Margin, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 5.79% | 6.91% | 4.00% | 6.45% | 7.31% | 7.59% | 9.22% | 9.71% | 11.02% | 8.95% | 11.81% | 15.50% | 13.37% | 20.39% | 23.19% | 22.04% | 22.00% | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 21.98% | 21.94% | 20.31% | 19.75% | 18.10% | 12.77% | 13.58% | 10.60% | 13.35% | 24.96% | 29.52% | 31.52% | 31.77% | 26.42% | 27.88% | 26.73% | 23.42% | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 15.01% | 14.64% | 12.57% | 10.58% | 11.38% | -18.53% | -15.30% | -14.06% | -13.50% | 17.83% | 18.44% | 17.62% | 15.95% | 13.71% | 14.29% | 14.04% | 13.31% | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 14.89% | 14.71% | 14.43% | 14.21% | 15.81% | 16.33% | 16.39% | 17.83% | 18.54% | 19.94% | 22.89% | 22.80% | 23.32% | 22.91% | 21.65% | 20.61% | 21.32% | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 34.99% | 31.67% | 30.99% | 25.91% | 22.66% | 23.51% | 20.48% | 18.86% | 17.08% | 15.36% | 15.55% | 22.01% | 20.54% | 21.88% | 20.63% | 19.58% | 20.90% | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 31.51% | 29.43% | 28.41% | 21.98% | 20.87% | 1.68% | 0.45% | 3.82% | 1.78% | 21.03% | 21.60% | 20.18% | 20.87% | 17.02% | 12.44% | 15.22% | 16.60% | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 21.83% | 28.46% | 27.26% | 25.00% | 24.41% | 15.84% | 16.74% | 43.91% | 44.92% | 41.28% | 39.58% | 14.52% | 13.77% | 18.90% | 19.95% | 19.21% | 20.90% | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 11.83% | 12.42% | 15.65% | 16.84% | 12.62% | 12.62% | 7.04% | -4.62% | -0.55% | 3.56% | 15.13% | 27.38% | 31.19% | 31.27% | 29.81% | 28.94% | 27.01% | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 29.65% | 31.41% | 32.13% | 31.37% | 31.94% | 31.07% | 33.61% | 32.04% | 29.45% | 30.14% | 30.47% | 33.93% | 33.81% | 35.64% | 39.17% | 39.97% | 48.06% | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 15.15% | 15.05% | 15.02% | 15.23% | 15.18% | 14.77% | 14.48% | 14.69% | 14.20% | 13.99% | 13.68% | 13.14% | 13.75% | 15.47% | 15.92% | 17.37% | 18.49% | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 35.51% | 32.94% | 31.35% | 31.86% | -8.91% | -4.86% | -4.52% | -4.74% | 39.46% | 36.68% | 35.94% | 35.40% | 35.40% | 37.20% | 37.62% | 38.26% | 30.84% | ||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31).
1 Q1 2026 Calculation
Net profit margin = 100
× (Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q1 2026
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q4 2025
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q3 2025
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q2 2025)
÷ (SalesQ1 2026
+ SalesQ4 2025
+ SalesQ3 2025
+ SalesQ2 2025)
= 100 × (-4,240 + 2,963 + 5,785 + 4,427)
÷ (16,286 + 16,400 + 17,276 + 15,806)
= 13.59%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The net profit margin exhibits significant volatility over the analyzed period, characterized by cycles of stability, sharp contraction, and subsequent recovery. While sales remained relatively consistent, fluctuating between approximately 13.8 billion and 17.3 billion US dollars, the net profit margin experienced extreme swings driven by substantial variations in net income.
- Initial Performance Stability
- From March 2022 through December 2022, the net profit margin remained strong and relatively stable, oscillating between 24.49% and 29.00%. This period indicates a consistent capacity to maintain high profitability relative to revenue.
- Period of Profitability Contraction
- A marked decline in profitability occurred throughout 2023. The margin dropped from 22.52% in March 2023 to a low of 0.61% by December 2023. This downward trend corresponds with periods of negative net income, most notably in June 2023 and December 2023, suggesting the impact of significant non-operating expenses or one-time charges.
- Recovery and Peak Performance
- A recovery phase began in early 2024, with the net profit margin returning to historical norms. Profitability climbed steadily, reaching a peak of 29.63% in September 2025. During this window, net income grew in tandem with sales, which reached their highest point of 17.28 billion US dollars in the same quarter.
- Recent Trend Divergence
- The most recent observation in March 2026 shows a sharp reversal in the recovery trend. The net profit margin fell to 13.59%, coinciding with a return to negative net income. This indicates a renewed period of financial instability despite sales remaining robust at 16.29 billion US dollars.
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Return on Equity (ROE)
Merck & Co. Inc., ROE calculation (quarterly data)
| Mar 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 | Sep 30, 2025 | Jun 30, 2025 | Mar 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Sep 30, 2024 | Jun 30, 2024 | Mar 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 | Jun 30, 2023 | Mar 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc. | (4,240) | 2,963) | 5,785) | 4,427) | 5,079) | 3,743) | 3,157) | 5,455) | 4,762) | (1,226) | 4,745) | (5,975) | 2,821) | 3,017) | 3,248) | 3,944) | 4,310) | ||||||
| Total Merck & Co., Inc. stockholders’ equity | 45,878) | 52,606) | 51,850) | 48,993) | 48,335) | 46,313) | 44,502) | 43,582) | 40,364) | 37,581) | 41,246) | 38,693) | 46,834) | 45,991) | 44,458) | 43,243) | 40,883) | ||||||
| Profitability Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ROE1 | 19.48% | 34.70% | 36.71% | 33.49% | 36.07% | 36.96% | 27.30% | 31.52% | 5.71% | 0.97% | 11.17% | 8.04% | 27.82% | 31.57% | 34.32% | 38.34% | 34.68% | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ROE, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | — | — | — | — | 295.42% | 128.66% | 84.91% | 78.77% | 74.85% | 46.94% | 53.86% | 67.50% | 57.14% | 68.60% | 83.83% | 86.24% | 76.64% | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 84.87% | 89.06% | 72.82% | 89.11% | 95.59% | 69.59% | 56.20% | 52.83% | 74.93% | 107.78% | 98.82% | 117.67% | 148.04% | 178.97% | 187.11% | 271.85% | 624.78% | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 36.25% | 38.19% | 32.55% | 28.96% | 31.16% | -54.78% | -42.34% | -38.44% | -37.28% | 27.27% | 28.57% | 24.91% | 22.97% | 20.37% | 20.44% | 20.30% | 19.79% | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 6.97% | 6.88% | 6.86% | 6.52% | 7.40% | 7.87% | 7.59% | 8.42% | 8.24% | 8.91% | 11.29% | 12.30% | 13.47% | 14.39% | 14.40% | 13.63% | 13.93% | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 81.02% | 77.78% | 77.38% | 75.52% | 70.45% | 74.62% | 58.78% | 54.14% | 47.91% | 48.65% | 44.46% | 58.73% | 50.82% | 58.64% | 59.91% | 66.61% | 65.69% | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 39.19% | 37.48% | 37.65% | 32.08% | 31.13% | 2.48% | 0.69% | 5.77% | 2.77% | 24.81% | 26.33% | 25.92% | 26.59% | 21.62% | 15.82% | 20.44% | 22.66% | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 25.92% | 32.87% | 31.69% | 28.88% | 27.92% | 19.68% | 20.93% | 53.14% | 54.95% | 51.11% | 48.61% | 17.37% | 17.95% | 23.36% | 25.68% | 24.05% | 26.54% | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 8.31% | 8.99% | 10.59% | 12.12% | 8.73% | 9.11% | 4.61% | -2.96% | -0.33% | 2.38% | 10.81% | 21.68% | 28.77% | 32.79% | 32.14% | 33.61% | 30.29% | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 14.08% | 14.41% | 14.79% | 14.89% | 15.31% | 15.03% | 15.87% | 15.32% | 14.29% | 15.22% | 16.03% | 17.90% | 17.80% | 19.14% | 25.05% | 27.49% | 39.84% | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 13.19% | 12.55% | 12.88% | 13.03% | 13.19% | 12.78% | 12.52% | 13.12% | 13.26% | 12.83% | 13.11% | 13.08% | 14.26% | 15.80% | 16.15% | 17.59% | 18.56% | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 22.41% | 21.18% | 21.22% | 21.18% | -5.99% | -3.26% | -3.07% | -3.32% | 21.67% | 20.59% | 21.01% | 21.75% | 22.59% | 23.88% | 25.12% | 26.77% | 22.47% | ||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31).
1 Q1 2026 Calculation
ROE = 100
× (Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q1 2026
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q4 2025
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q3 2025
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q2 2025)
÷ Total Merck & Co., Inc. stockholders’ equity
= 100 × (-4,240 + 2,963 + 5,785 + 4,427)
÷ 45,878 = 19.48%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The Return on Equity (ROE) exhibits significant volatility over the analyzed period, characterized by intervals of high stability interrupted by sharp declines that correlate with quarterly net losses.
- Volatility and Performance Anomalies
- A marked contraction in ROE is observed throughout 2023. The ratio fell from 27.82% in March 2023 to 8.04% in June 2023 and reached a nadir of 0.97% by December 2023. These declines align with substantial net losses reported in June 2023 (-$5,975 million) and December 2023 (-$1,226 million), indicating that significant quarterly losses heavily suppressed shareholder returns during this timeframe.
- Recovery and Stabilization Phase
- A robust recovery is evident beginning in the second quarter of 2024, where ROE surged to 31.52%. Throughout the remainder of 2024 and the majority of 2025, the ROE remained consistently high, fluctuating between 33.49% and 36.96%. This period of stability reflects a restoration of net income, which peaked at $5,785 million in September 2025, allowing the company to sustain strong returns despite an expanding equity base.
- Equity Base Dynamics
- Total stockholders' equity followed a general upward trajectory, rising from $40,883 million in March 2022 to a peak of $52,606 million in September 2025. While a growing equity base typically necessitates higher absolute net income to maintain the same ROE percentage, the company successfully maintained ratios above 33% for much of 2025, suggesting efficient capital utilization during that period.
- Recent Trend Analysis
- The most recent observation from March 2026 indicates a significant downturn in ROE to 19.48%. This decline is directly attributable to a reported net loss of $4,240 million, which also resulted in a reduction of total stockholders' equity to $45,878 million.
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Return on Assets (ROA)
Merck & Co. Inc., ROA calculation (quarterly data)
| Mar 31, 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 | Sep 30, 2025 | Jun 30, 2025 | Mar 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Sep 30, 2024 | Jun 30, 2024 | Mar 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Sep 30, 2023 | Jun 30, 2023 | Mar 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Sep 30, 2022 | Jun 30, 2022 | Mar 31, 2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc. | (4,240) | 2,963) | 5,785) | 4,427) | 5,079) | 3,743) | 3,157) | 5,455) | 4,762) | (1,226) | 4,745) | (5,975) | 2,821) | 3,017) | 3,248) | 3,944) | 4,310) | ||||||
| Total assets | 128,685) | 136,866) | 129,546) | 117,523) | 115,122) | 117,106) | 117,532) | 112,630) | 105,849) | 106,675) | 106,727) | 104,469) | 107,796) | 109,160) | 107,081) | 107,095) | 106,668) | ||||||
| Profitability Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ROA1 | 6.94% | 13.34% | 14.69% | 13.96% | 15.14% | 14.62% | 10.34% | 12.20% | 2.18% | 0.34% | 4.32% | 2.98% | 12.09% | 13.30% | 14.25% | 15.48% | 13.29% | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ROA, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 2.66% | 3.15% | 1.78% | 2.74% | 3.08% | 3.17% | 3.57% | 3.76% | 4.03% | 3.61% | 4.78% | 6.42% | 5.64% | 8.53% | 9.49% | 8.83% | 8.71% | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 8.43% | 8.51% | 7.77% | 7.53% | 6.64% | 4.45% | 4.65% | 3.44% | 4.05% | 6.91% | 8.36% | 8.84% | 8.92% | 10.06% | 10.73% | 11.09% | 9.67% | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 8.41% | 7.83% | 6.23% | 5.33% | 5.86% | -9.66% | -7.75% | -6.91% | -6.21% | 8.43% | 9.08% | 8.52% | 7.75% | 6.53% | 6.80% | 6.59% | 6.07% | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 4.42% | 4.33% | 4.38% | 4.18% | 4.76% | 5.03% | 4.83% | 5.35% | 5.28% | 5.64% | 6.74% | 7.49% | 8.15% | 8.55% | 8.35% | 7.76% | 7.74% | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 21.68% | 18.35% | 16.02% | 13.67% | 12.42% | 13.45% | 11.07% | 10.22% | 9.60% | 8.19% | 8.61% | 11.85% | 10.70% | 12.62% | 12.71% | 12.09% | 13.06% | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 16.38% | 14.42% | 13.86% | 11.33% | 10.57% | 0.81% | 0.23% | 1.97% | 0.86% | 9.12% | 9.42% | 8.80% | 9.02% | 7.27% | 5.33% | 6.58% | 7.16% | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 10.47% | 13.46% | 13.03% | 11.72% | 11.26% | 7.81% | 8.24% | 20.99% | 22.37% | 20.98% | 20.85% | 6.81% | 6.49% | 9.57% | 10.94% | 10.33% | 11.12% | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 3.61% | 3.73% | 4.71% | 5.22% | 3.79% | 3.76% | 1.94% | -1.20% | -0.14% | 0.94% | 4.87% | 9.75% | 14.85% | 15.91% | 15.32% | 15.01% | 13.58% | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 10.82% | 11.11% | 11.40% | 11.67% | 11.98% | 11.69% | 12.43% | 11.98% | 11.22% | 11.95% | 12.41% | 14.02% | 13.91% | 14.85% | 19.40% | 20.90% | 30.11% | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 6.05% | 6.08% | 6.38% | 6.50% | 6.58% | 6.51% | 6.11% | 6.32% | 6.21% | 6.07% | 6.12% | 6.08% | 6.36% | 7.15% | 7.77% | 8.21% | 8.20% | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 16.38% | 15.42% | 14.78% | 15.13% | -4.32% | -2.38% | -2.16% | -2.43% | 16.81% | 15.92% | 15.97% | 16.54% | 17.18% | 18.30% | 19.59% | 20.50% | 17.19% | ||||||
Based on: 10-Q (reporting date: 2026-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2025-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2024-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2023-03-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-09-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-06-30), 10-Q (reporting date: 2022-03-31).
1 Q1 2026 Calculation
ROA = 100
× (Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q1 2026
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q4 2025
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q3 2025
+ Net income (loss) attributable to Merck & Co., Inc.Q2 2025)
÷ Total assets
= 100 × (-4,240 + 2,963 + 5,785 + 4,427)
÷ 128,685 = 6.94%
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The Return on Assets (ROA) exhibits significant volatility over the analyzed period, characterized by phases of stability, sharp contractions, and subsequent recoveries. While the asset base generally expanded, profitability fluctuated considerably, leading to erratic swings in asset efficiency.
- Profitability Volatility and ROA Contractions
- A pronounced decline in ROA is observed during 2023 and early 2026. The most severe contractions occurred in June 2023, where ROA dropped to 2.98%, and December 2023, where it reached a low of 0.34%. These declines directly correlate with substantial net losses of $5.98 billion and $1.23 billion, respectively. A similar pattern emerges in March 2026, with ROA falling to 6.94% following a net loss of $4.24 billion.
- Recovery and Peak Performance
- Following the 2023 downturn, a recovery phase is evident throughout 2024 and 2025. ROA returned to double-digit levels by June 2024 (12.20%) and peaked at 15.14% in March 2025. During this interval, the company maintained consistent positive net income, ranging from $3.16 billion to $5.79 billion, demonstrating a restoration of operational efficiency.
- Asset Base Expansion
- Total assets showed a gradual upward trend, increasing from $106.67 billion in March 2022 to a peak of $136.87 billion in December 2025. Despite this increase in the denominator of the ROA calculation, the company achieved its highest efficiency ratings during 2024 and 2025, suggesting that the asset growth was effectively leveraged to generate higher returns during those periods.
- Correlation Between Net Income and Asset Efficiency
- The data indicates a high sensitivity of ROA to fluctuations in net income rather than changes in the asset base. While total assets remained relatively stable or grew steadily, the ROA fluctuated wildly in direct response to net income volatility, underscoring that short-term profitability shocks are the primary driver of asset efficiency variance for the entity.
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