Analysis of Short-term (Operating) Activity Ratios
Quarterly Data
Activity ratios measure how efficiently a company performs day-to-day tasks, such us the collection of receivables and management of inventory.
Short-term Activity Ratios (Summary)
Merck & Co. Inc., short-term (operating) activity 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 operational activity ratios indicate a period of fluctuating efficiency in asset management, characterized by a general lengthening of the cash conversion cycle that peaked in mid-2025 before showing signs of contraction in early 2026.
- Inventory Management Efficiency
- A downward trend in inventory turnover is observed from September 2022 (3.10) through June 2025, where it reached a minimum of 2.25. This decline corresponds with an increase in the average inventory processing period, which rose from 118 days to a peak of 162 days. However, a recovery occurred by March 2026, as the turnover ratio improved to 2.65 and the processing period decreased to 138 days.
- Receivables Collection Performance
- Receivables turnover remained relatively stable throughout the analyzed period, generally fluctuating between 5.29 and 6.27. The average receivable collection period showed minimal volatility, typically ranging between 58 and 69 days, suggesting a consistent and predictable credit collection process.
- Payables Management Strategy
- The payables turnover ratio exhibited a gradual decline, reaching its lowest point of 3.53 in September 2025, which reflects an extension in the average payables payment period from 71 days in September 2022 to 103 days in September 2025. This trend suggests a strategic shift toward utilizing supplier credit for short-term financing, although a sharp contraction in the payment period to 82 days occurred by March 2026.
- Working Capital and Operational Cycles
- Working capital turnover experienced significant volatility, peaking at 9.68 in March 2024 before dropping sharply to 3.39 in September 2025. The operating cycle followed a similar trajectory to inventory levels, expanding from 177 days in September 2022 to 230 days in June 2025. The cash conversion cycle, which reflects the net time to convert resource inputs into cash flows, increased from 93 days in December 2022 to a peak of 138 days in June 2024, ending the period at 124 days in March 2026.
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Turnover Ratios
Average No. Days
Inventory Turnover
Merck & Co. Inc., inventory turnover 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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of sales | 4,195) | 5,551) | 3,855) | 3,557) | 3,419) | 3,828) | 4,080) | 3,745) | 3,540) | 3,912) | 4,264) | 4,024) | 3,926) | 3,881) | 3,934) | 4,216) | 5,380) | ||||||
| Inventories, excludes inventories classified in Other assets | 6,479) | 6,658) | 6,444) | 6,601) | 6,196) | 6,109) | 6,244) | 6,469) | 6,510) | 6,358) | 6,131) | 5,930) | 5,863) | 5,911) | 5,614) | 5,535) | 5,774) | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inventory turnover1 | 2.65 | 2.46 | 2.27 | 2.25 | 2.43 | 2.49 | 2.45 | 2.39 | 2.42 | 2.54 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.72 | 2.95 | 3.10 | 3.06 | 2.74 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inventory Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 3.65 | 3.68 | 3.65 | 3.42 | 3.71 | 4.04 | 4.09 | 4.86 | 4.83 | 4.98 | 4.74 | 4.30 | 4.53 | 4.87 | 5.54 | 4.99 | 4.96 | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 1.91 | 1.93 | 1.92 | 1.88 | 1.88 | 1.84 | 1.75 | 1.42 | 1.14 | 0.89 | 1.41 | 1.38 | 1.31 | 1.30 | 1.34 | 1.40 | 1.48 | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 5.20 | 5.18 | 5.31 | 5.18 | 5.28 | 5.46 | 3.57 | 3.72 | 3.70 | 4.02 | 4.33 | 4.39 | 3.93 | 4.33 | 4.77 | 4.59 | 4.55 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 3.90 | 4.04 | 3.67 | 3.60 | 3.79 | 4.15 | 3.60 | 3.59 | 3.73 | 3.80 | 3.53 | 3.58 | 3.50 | 4.03 | 3.80 | 3.71 | 3.87 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 0.85 | 0.80 | 0.83 | 0.84 | 0.96 | 1.11 | 1.05 | 1.16 | 1.17 | 1.23 | 1.40 | 1.37 | 1.36 | 1.54 | 1.86 | 1.79 | 1.93 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 3.21 | 3.51 | 3.47 | 3.40 | 3.55 | 3.66 | 3.62 | 3.33 | 3.59 | 3.64 | 3.49 | 3.45 | 3.57 | 3.75 | 4.71 | 4.50 | 4.50 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 2.13 | 2.13 | 2.08 | 2.17 | 2.24 | 2.21 | 2.15 | 2.20 | 2.32 | 2.37 | 2.46 | 2.23 | 2.36 | 2.49 | 2.68 | 2.69 | 2.77 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 1.57 | 1.51 | 1.46 | 1.52 | 1.60 | 1.65 | 1.66 | 2.05 | 2.15 | 2.45 | 2.65 | 2.31 | 3.07 | 3.82 | 3.62 | 3.66 | 3.67 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 0.74 | 0.66 | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.63 | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.65 | 0.66 | 0.70 | 0.72 | 0.69 | 0.67 | 0.65 | 0.83 | 0.96 | 1.27 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 4.87 | 4.85 | 4.47 | 4.57 | 4.82 | 5.06 | 4.62 | 4.83 | 4.93 | 5.06 | 4.83 | 4.64 | 4.62 | 4.60 | 4.29 | 4.03 | 3.87 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 0.95 | 0.98 | 0.99 | 1.06 | 1.14 | 1.27 | 1.37 | 1.53 | 1.65 | 1.71 | 1.71 | 1.90 | 2.06 | 2.35 | 2.69 | 2.70 | 2.83 | ||||||
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
Inventory turnover
= (Cost of salesQ1 2026
+ Cost of salesQ4 2025
+ Cost of salesQ3 2025
+ Cost of salesQ2 2025)
÷ Inventories, excludes inventories classified in Other assets
= (4,195 + 5,551 + 3,855 + 3,557)
÷ 6,479 = 2.65
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The inventory turnover ratio exhibits a cyclical pattern over the analyzed period, characterized by an initial peak, a prolonged period of decline in efficiency, and a subsequent recovery toward the end of the timeline.
- Inventory Turnover Trends
- The turnover ratio began at 2.74 in March 2022 and reached a peak of 3.10 by September 2022, indicating an initial increase in operational efficiency. Following this peak, a consistent downward trend was observed, with the ratio declining to a low of 2.25 by June 2025. This suggests a period of slowing inventory movement. However, a recovery phase emerged in the latter part of 2025 and early 2026, with the ratio climbing back to 2.65 by March 2026.
- Inventory Level Analysis
- Inventory levels showed a general upward trajectory, increasing from 5,774 million USD in March 2022 to a peak of 6,658 million USD in December 2025. This steady accumulation of stock, particularly between March 2023 and June 2025, served as a primary driver for the compression of the turnover ratio, as inventory growth outpaced the growth in the cost of sales.
- Cost of Sales Influence
- The cost of sales remained relatively stable for the majority of the period, generally fluctuating between 3,400 million USD and 4,300 million USD. A significant anomaly occurred in December 2025, where the cost of sales spiked to 5,551 million USD. This substantial increase in sales volume or production costs directly contributed to the rapid improvement in the inventory turnover ratio observed during the final quarters of the analysis.
- Operational Efficiency Summary
- The correlation between rising inventory levels and a stagnating cost of sales resulted in diminished inventory productivity from late 2022 through mid-2025. The eventual rebound in the turnover ratio indicates a realignment where sales activity began to outpace inventory accumulation, returning the efficiency levels close to those seen at the start of the period.
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Receivables Turnover
Merck & Co. Inc., receivables turnover 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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||
| Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts | 12,210) | 11,775) | 12,120) | 11,846) | 10,790) | 10,278) | 11,381) | 11,642) | 11,366) | 10,349) | 10,394) | 11,030) | 10,415) | 9,450) | 9,482) | 9,643) | 9,828) | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Receivables turnover1 | 5.39 | 5.52 | 5.30 | 5.37 | 5.92 | 6.24 | 5.55 | 5.37 | 5.40 | 5.81 | 5.71 | 5.29 | 5.56 | 6.27 | 6.22 | 5.93 | 5.49 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Receivables Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 5.03 | 4.86 | 4.67 | 4.62 | 4.60 | 5.16 | 4.84 | 4.69 | 4.55 | 4.87 | 4.83 | 4.88 | 4.95 | 5.16 | 5.38 | 5.10 | 5.29 | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 3.88 | 3.67 | 4.06 | 3.85 | 4.03 | 4.72 | 4.26 | 4.26 | 4.16 | 3.70 | 4.17 | 4.34 | 4.34 | 4.46 | 4.60 | 4.62 | 4.81 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 6.49 | 6.28 | 6.46 | 6.74 | 6.79 | 6.75 | 6.77 | 7.15 | 7.02 | 6.09 | 6.15 | 6.64 | 6.89 | 6.40 | 7.09 | 6.81 | 6.87 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 3.92 | 3.67 | 3.69 | 3.76 | 4.07 | 4.09 | 3.97 | 3.53 | 4.56 | 3.75 | 3.93 | 3.93 | 3.68 | 4.14 | 4.35 | 4.57 | 4.64 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 6.17 | 5.89 | 5.60 | 6.01 | 6.51 | 6.47 | 6.14 | 5.92 | 5.84 | 5.78 | 5.68 | 6.43 | 6.43 | 5.65 | 6.16 | 6.60 | 7.18 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 5.44 | 5.48 | 5.23 | 5.08 | 5.58 | 5.98 | 5.42 | 5.48 | 5.73 | 5.73 | 5.91 | 5.36 | 5.65 | 5.88 | 6.04 | 5.92 | 6.08 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 5.03 | 5.27 | 4.40 | 5.29 | 5.27 | 5.55 | 4.18 | 4.93 | 5.09 | 5.33 | 6.25 | 7.66 | 7.57 | 9.16 | 6.21 | 6.68 | 6.99 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 2.60 | 2.50 | 2.51 | 2.53 | 2.53 | 2.29 | 2.27 | 2.36 | 2.51 | 2.31 | 2.35 | 2.47 | 2.42 | 2.28 | 2.47 | 2.76 | 3.41 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 4.91 | 5.01 | 4.91 | 5.03 | 5.07 | 5.23 | 5.13 | 5.33 | 5.36 | 5.21 | 5.19 | 5.43 | 5.53 | 5.53 | 5.76 | 5.53 | 5.21 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 6.12 | 5.85 | 6.02 | 6.03 | 6.15 | 6.85 | 6.07 | 6.24 | 5.68 | 6.31 | 6.27 | 6.11 | 5.95 | 6.19 | 6.28 | 6.26 | 6.15 | ||||||
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
Receivables turnover
= (SalesQ1 2026
+ SalesQ4 2025
+ SalesQ3 2025
+ SalesQ2 2025)
÷ Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts
= (16,286 + 16,400 + 17,276 + 15,806)
÷ 12,210 = 5.39
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The receivables turnover ratio exhibits a pattern of cyclical volatility with a general tendency toward lower efficiency in the latter half of the analyzed period. While the ratio peaked in late 2022 and late 2024, the overall trajectory indicates a moderate deceleration in the speed at which accounts receivable are converted into cash.
- Relationship Between Sales and Receivables
- A divergence is observable between sales growth and the accumulation of accounts receivable. Sales increased from 15,901 million US dollars in March 2022 to 16,286 million US dollars by March 2026. During the same timeframe, net accounts receivable grew more aggressively, rising from 9,828 million US dollars to 12,210 million US dollars. This disproportionate increase in the receivables balance has exerted downward pressure on the turnover ratio.
- Turnover Efficiency and Volatility
- The highest levels of collection efficiency were recorded in December 2022 (6.27) and December 2024 (6.24), suggesting seasonal peaks in cash collection or year-end adjustments. Conversely, the ratio reached its lowest points in June 2023 (5.29) and September 2025 (5.30). The frequent fluctuations between these extremes suggest variability in credit terms or customer payment behaviors across different quarters.
- Long-term Trend Analysis
- The period from March 2024 through March 2026 shows a stabilized but lower range of efficiency, with the ratio predominantly remaining between 5.30 and 5.55, excluding the December 2024 spike. This suggests that the company is operating with a longer average collection period than was evident during the 2022 peak, indicating a possible shift in the working capital cycle.
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Payables Turnover
Merck & Co. Inc., payables turnover 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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of sales | 4,195) | 5,551) | 3,855) | 3,557) | 3,419) | 3,828) | 4,080) | 3,745) | 3,540) | 3,912) | 4,264) | 4,024) | 3,926) | 3,881) | 3,934) | 4,216) | 5,380) | ||||||
| Trade accounts payable | 3,863) | 4,404) | 4,147) | 3,892) | 3,784) | 4,079) | 3,586) | 3,519) | 3,514) | 3,922) | 3,509) | 3,442) | 3,680) | 4,264) | 3,371) | 3,482) | 3,715) | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payables turnover1 | 4.44 | 3.72 | 3.53 | 3.82 | 3.98 | 3.72 | 4.26 | 4.39 | 4.48 | 4.11 | 4.59 | 4.58 | 4.34 | 4.08 | 5.16 | 4.86 | 4.25 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payables Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 4.02 | 5.09 | 4.29 | 4.12 | 5.25 | 6.74 | 5.99 | 5.01 | 6.10 | 5.32 | 5.22 | 5.67 | 4.97 | 4.08 | 5.30 | 5.09 | 4.65 | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 3.38 | 3.90 | 3.42 | 2.61 | 3.52 | 3.88 | 3.43 | 3.05 | 3.12 | 3.28 | 3.75 | 3.38 | 3.20 | 3.33 | 3.82 | 3.41 | 3.25 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 5.68 | 5.45 | 5.78 | 5.62 | 5.57 | 5.52 | 6.04 | 5.84 | 5.88 | 5.58 | 5.63 | 5.82 | 5.68 | 5.45 | 5.61 | 5.00 | 5.04 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 2.47 | 2.05 | 2.37 | 2.27 | 2.61 | 2.61 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.88 | 2.73 | 2.81 | 2.65 | 3.07 | 3.43 | 4.24 | 4.21 | 5.24 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 9.52 | 8.72 | 7.66 | 10.65 | 8.47 | 7.50 | 7.49 | 12.57 | 10.69 | 11.81 | 9.90 | 9.06 | 8.99 | 6.25 | 11.22 | 11.89 | 11.43 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 2.96 | 2.52 | 3.06 | 3.07 | 2.97 | 2.66 | 3.03 | 3.03 | 3.23 | 2.76 | 3.29 | 2.75 | 3.05 | 2.66 | 3.08 | 3.15 | 3.26 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 3.72 | 3.07 | 3.32 | 3.44 | 3.30 | 3.17 | 3.67 | 4.60 | 4.19 | 3.72 | 5.07 | 3.92 | 4.78 | 5.04 | 5.49 | 6.17 | 6.66 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 2.24 | 2.24 | 2.30 | 2.83 | 2.84 | 2.50 | 3.87 | 3.32 | 2.67 | 2.99 | 3.43 | 3.14 | 2.69 | 2.65 | 3.74 | 4.00 | 5.39 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 8.00 | 7.27 | 8.23 | 8.53 | 8.25 | 8.18 | 9.63 | 9.85 | 9.91 | 8.97 | 10.41 | 10.82 | 9.35 | 7.67 | 9.93 | 8.84 | 7.96 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 3.44 | 3.58 | 3.83 | 3.59 | 3.49 | 3.71 | 3.73 | 4.27 | 3.81 | 3.46 | 3.13 | 3.16 | 3.41 | 3.55 | 8.23 | 5.01 | 5.52 | ||||||
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
Payables turnover
= (Cost of salesQ1 2026
+ Cost of salesQ4 2025
+ Cost of salesQ3 2025
+ Cost of salesQ2 2025)
÷ Trade accounts payable
= (4,195 + 5,551 + 3,855 + 3,557)
÷ 3,863 = 4.44
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The payables turnover ratio exhibits a period of notable volatility, characterized by an initial peak in 2022, a sustained decline through most of 2025, and a subsequent recovery in the first quarter of 2026.
- Payables Turnover Trajectory
- The turnover ratio reached a maximum of 5.16 in September 2022, indicating a high frequency of supplier payment cycles. Following this peak, a long-term downward trend emerged, with the ratio gradually decreasing to a low of 3.53 by September 2025. This decline suggests an extension in the time taken to settle obligations with trade creditors over the three-year interval.
- Analysis of Trade Accounts Payable
- A steady increase in trade accounts payable is observed between March 2024 and December 2025, where balances rose from 3.51 billion to 4.40 billion. This accumulation of liabilities, occurring while cost of sales remained relatively range-bound for much of the period, directly contributed to the compression of the turnover ratio.
- Cost of Sales Impact and Recovery
- A significant spike in cost of sales occurred in December 2025, reaching 5.55 billion, which temporarily arrested the decline in turnover. By March 31, 2026, the payables turnover ratio returned to a higher level of 4.44. This recovery was driven by a simultaneous reduction in trade accounts payable to 3.86 billion and a normalization of the cost of sales to 4.20 billion, indicating a return to more rapid payment cycles.
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Working Capital Turnover
Merck & Co. Inc., working capital turnover 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) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current assets | 35,015) | 43,516) | 47,557) | 37,065) | 35,503) | 38,782) | 40,361) | 38,205) | 31,445) | 32,168) | 31,954) | 29,977) | 33,402) | 35,722) | 33,561) | 32,116) | 31,184) | ||||||
| Less: Current liabilities | 26,945) | 28,327) | 28,628) | 26,037) | 25,174) | 28,420) | 29,586) | 26,060) | 25,099) | 25,694) | 23,094) | 23,394) | 23,131) | 24,239) | 22,998) | 23,168) | 22,316) | ||||||
| Working capital | 8,070) | 15,189) | 18,929) | 11,028) | 10,329) | 10,362) | 10,775) | 12,145) | 6,346) | 6,474) | 8,860) | 6,583) | 10,271) | 11,483) | 10,563) | 8,948) | 8,868) | ||||||
| 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) | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Working capital turnover1 | 8.15 | 4.28 | 3.39 | 5.77 | 6.19 | 6.19 | 5.86 | 5.14 | 9.68 | 9.29 | 6.69 | 8.86 | 5.63 | 5.16 | 5.58 | 6.39 | 6.09 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Working Capital Turnover, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 5.44 | 9.85 | 5.66 | 5.35 | 8.36 | 5.40 | 4.83 | 5.19 | 3.39 | 2.25 | 0.81 | 0.84 | 0.82 | 3.82 | 2.52 | 3.67 | 4.34 | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 5.84 | 7.83 | 6.20 | 8.09 | 6.87 | 7.79 | 8.49 | 12.50 | 15.56 | 4.60 | 10.47 | 5.53 | 5.55 | 8.30 | 5.75 | 4.92 | 6.24 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 3.83 | 4.13 | 7.39 | 5.71 | 8.27 | 8.85 | 8.73 | 8.10 | 3.60 | 4.22 | 2.18 | 3.08 | 3.81 | 4.20 | 5.00 | 5.43 | 5.91 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 3.97 | 3.19 | 2.71 | 4.92 | 4.38 | 10.32 | 6.06 | 12.62 | 5.45 | — | 31.79 | 12.21 | 5.77 | 31.84 | 14.71 | 19.45 | 8.19 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 3.19 | 4.43 | 5.12 | 8.14 | 6.27 | 3.99 | 9.22 | 17.98 | 26.58 | 5.61 | 6.74 | 84.15 | 9.14 | 8.42 | 8.56 | 6.87 | 6.68 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 66.14 | 62.88 | 24.63 | 284.99 | 6.10 | 15.94 | 58.86 | 22.29 | 10.35 | 11.81 | 9.37 | 14.06 | 23.02 | — | 4.88 | 5.02 | 5.57 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 7.47 | 10.58 | 6.08 | 10.68 | 6.64 | 8.64 | 5,036.00 | — | 29.17 | — | 1.62 | 2.03 | 6.89 | 11.00 | 3.83 | 5.05 | 6.10 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 1.14 | 1.05 | 1.05 | 1.08 | 1.01 | 0.97 | 0.88 | 0.87 | 0.86 | 0.82 | 0.87 | 0.92 | 0.90 | 0.96 | 1.09 | 1.14 | 1.46 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 5.87 | 3.30 | 5.90 | 3.64 | 4.20 | 4.87 | 4.61 | 3.96 | 4.38 | 4.05 | 4.86 | 7.40 | 10.13 | 5.46 | 5.40 | 6.03 | 6.13 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 1.56 | 1.64 | 1.92 | 1.82 | 1.78 | 1.83 | 1.82 | 1.92 | 1.07 | 0.93 | 0.87 | 0.90 | 0.93 | 0.85 | 0.90 | 0.93 | 0.97 | ||||||
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
Working capital turnover
= (SalesQ1 2026
+ SalesQ4 2025
+ SalesQ3 2025
+ SalesQ2 2025)
÷ Working capital
= (16,286 + 16,400 + 17,276 + 15,806)
÷ 8,070 = 8.15
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of working capital efficiency reveals a period of significant volatility between March 2022 and March 2026. While sales remained relatively stable, fluctuating within a range of approximately $13.8 billion to $17.3 billion, the working capital turnover ratio exhibited substantial variance, reflecting shifts in the management of short-term operational assets and liabilities.
- Working Capital Turnover Trends
- The turnover ratio experienced a period of peak efficiency between June 2023 and March 2024, with the ratio climbing from 8.86 to a high of 9.68. This improvement was primarily driven by a reduction in working capital to levels between $6.3 billion and $6.6 billion, while sales remained consistent or increased. Conversely, a significant contraction in efficiency occurred in late 2025, with the ratio reaching its lowest point of 3.39 in September 2025, coinciding with a peak in working capital of $18.9 billion.
- Correlation Between Capital and Sales
- The data indicates that the working capital turnover ratio is more sensitive to changes in the working capital base than to fluctuations in sales volume. For example, during the period from June 2024 to September 2025, the turnover ratio declined from 5.14 to 3.39 despite sales increasing from $16.1 billion to $17.3 billion. This suggests that the expansion of working capital during this period outpaced revenue growth, leading to a temporary decrease in operational efficiency.
- Recent Recovery Patterns
- A sharp recovery in turnover efficiency is observed in the final quarter of the analysis. By March 2026, the ratio returned to 8.15, supported by a substantial decrease in working capital to $8.07 billion. This indicates a return to a more lean operational structure, effectively increasing the revenue generated per dollar of working capital.
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Average Inventory Processing Period
Merck & Co. Inc., average inventory processing period 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Inventory turnover | 2.65 | 2.46 | 2.27 | 2.25 | 2.43 | 2.49 | 2.45 | 2.39 | 2.42 | 2.54 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.72 | 2.95 | 3.10 | 3.06 | 2.74 | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio (no. days) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average inventory processing period1 | 138 | 148 | 160 | 162 | 150 | 147 | 149 | 153 | 151 | 144 | 139 | 137 | 134 | 124 | 118 | 119 | 133 | ||||||
| Benchmarks (no. days) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Inventory Processing Period, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 100 | 99 | 100 | 107 | 98 | 90 | 89 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 77 | 85 | 81 | 75 | 66 | 73 | 74 | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 191 | 189 | 190 | 194 | 195 | 199 | 209 | 257 | 321 | 411 | 259 | 265 | 279 | 281 | 272 | 260 | 247 | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 70 | 70 | 69 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 102 | 98 | 99 | 91 | 84 | 83 | 93 | 84 | 76 | 79 | 80 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 94 | 90 | 99 | 101 | 96 | 88 | 101 | 102 | 98 | 96 | 104 | 102 | 104 | 91 | 96 | 98 | 94 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 428 | 454 | 441 | 435 | 379 | 329 | 349 | 316 | 312 | 298 | 261 | 267 | 268 | 237 | 196 | 204 | 189 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 114 | 104 | 105 | 108 | 103 | 100 | 101 | 110 | 102 | 100 | 105 | 106 | 102 | 97 | 78 | 81 | 81 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 172 | 171 | 176 | 168 | 163 | 165 | 169 | 166 | 158 | 154 | 149 | 164 | 155 | 147 | 136 | 136 | 132 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 232 | 242 | 251 | 239 | 229 | 222 | 219 | 178 | 170 | 149 | 138 | 158 | 119 | 95 | 101 | 100 | 99 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 491 | 556 | 571 | 570 | 582 | 572 | 573 | 562 | 553 | 519 | 508 | 532 | 549 | 562 | 440 | 379 | 287 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 75 | 75 | 82 | 80 | 76 | 72 | 79 | 76 | 74 | 72 | 76 | 79 | 79 | 79 | 85 | 91 | 94 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 384 | 373 | 369 | 345 | 320 | 287 | 267 | 238 | 222 | 214 | 213 | 192 | 177 | 156 | 136 | 135 | 129 | ||||||
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
Average inventory processing period = 365 ÷ Inventory turnover
= 365 ÷ 2.65 = 138
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of operating activity ratios from March 2022 through March 2026 reveals a cyclical pattern in inventory management, characterized by an initial phase of efficiency, a prolonged period of decelerating turnover, and a subsequent recovery in the final three quarters.
- Inventory Turnover Trends
- Inventory turnover exhibited initial growth, peaking at 3.10 in September 2022. Following this peak, a consistent downward trend occurred over nearly three years, reaching a minimum of 2.25 by June 2025. This decline indicates a slowing rate of inventory replacement. However, a reversal is observed starting in the second half of 2025, with the ratio climbing back to 2.65 by March 2026, signaling a return toward historical efficiency levels.
- Average Inventory Processing Period
- The processing period moves inversely to turnover, showing a decline to a low of 118 days in September 2022. From October 2022 through June 2025, there was a sustained increase in the number of days required to process inventory, peaking at 162 days. This represents a significant expansion of the operating cycle, suggesting either increased stockpiling or a reduction in the velocity of sales. A corrective trend emerged after June 2025, with the processing period contracting to 138 days by March 2026.
- Operational Efficiency Synthesis
- The correlation between the turnover ratio and the processing period remains tight, confirming a stable relationship between the two metrics. The period between late 2022 and mid-2025 marks a phase of reduced operational liquidity regarding inventory, as assets remained tied up for longer durations. The recovery observed between September 2025 and March 2026 indicates a successful optimization of inventory levels or an increase in demand, resulting in a more streamlined conversion of inventory into revenue.
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Average Receivable Collection Period
Merck & Co. Inc., average receivable collection period 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Receivables turnover | 5.39 | 5.52 | 5.30 | 5.37 | 5.92 | 6.24 | 5.55 | 5.37 | 5.40 | 5.81 | 5.71 | 5.29 | 5.56 | 6.27 | 6.22 | 5.93 | 5.49 | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio (no. days) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average receivable collection period1 | 68 | 66 | 69 | 68 | 62 | 58 | 66 | 68 | 68 | 63 | 64 | 69 | 66 | 58 | 59 | 62 | 66 | ||||||
| Benchmarks (no. days) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Receivable Collection Period, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 73 | 75 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 71 | 75 | 78 | 80 | 75 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 68 | 72 | 69 | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 94 | 99 | 90 | 95 | 91 | 77 | 86 | 86 | 88 | 99 | 88 | 84 | 84 | 82 | 79 | 79 | 76 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 56 | 58 | 56 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 51 | 52 | 60 | 59 | 55 | 53 | 57 | 51 | 54 | 53 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 93 | 99 | 99 | 97 | 90 | 89 | 92 | 103 | 80 | 97 | 93 | 93 | 99 | 88 | 84 | 80 | 79 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 59 | 62 | 65 | 61 | 56 | 56 | 59 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 57 | 57 | 65 | 59 | 55 | 51 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 67 | 67 | 70 | 72 | 65 | 61 | 67 | 67 | 64 | 64 | 62 | 68 | 65 | 62 | 60 | 62 | 60 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 73 | 69 | 83 | 69 | 69 | 66 | 87 | 74 | 72 | 69 | 58 | 48 | 48 | 40 | 59 | 55 | 52 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 140 | 146 | 146 | 144 | 144 | 160 | 161 | 155 | 146 | 158 | 156 | 148 | 151 | 160 | 148 | 132 | 107 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 74 | 73 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 70 | 71 | 68 | 68 | 70 | 70 | 67 | 66 | 66 | 63 | 66 | 70 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 60 | 62 | 61 | 61 | 59 | 53 | 60 | 58 | 64 | 58 | 58 | 60 | 61 | 59 | 58 | 58 | 59 | ||||||
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
Average receivable collection period = 365 ÷ Receivables turnover
= 365 ÷ 5.39 = 68
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of short-term operating activity ratios reveals a cyclical pattern in the management of receivables from March 2022 through March 2026. Efficiency in converting receivables into cash exhibits periodic fluctuations, characterized by a consistent inverse relationship between the turnover ratio and the average collection period.
- Receivables Turnover Trends
- An upward trend in efficiency was observed throughout 2022, with the turnover ratio increasing from 5.49 in March to a peak of 6.27 by December 31, 2022. This improvement was followed by a decline in the first half of 2023, reaching a period low of 5.29 in June 2023. A secondary peak occurred on December 31, 2024, where the ratio reached 6.24, before returning to a stable range between 5.30 and 5.52 during 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.
- Average Receivable Collection Period
- The collection period mirrored the turnover volatility, decreasing from 66 days in March 2022 to a low of 58 days by December 2022. A subsequent expansion of the collection cycle occurred in 2023, peaking at 69 days in June. Similar to the turnover trend, a significant acceleration in collections was recorded in December 2024, returning to 58 days, before trending upward again to a high of 69 days in June 2025. The cycle ended at 68 days as of March 31, 2026.
- Operational Insights
- The evidence suggests a recurring year-end acceleration in receivable collections, as demonstrated by the sharp decreases in the collection period and corresponding spikes in turnover ratios every December (2022 and 2024). Outside of these year-end anomalies, the collection period generally oscillates between 62 and 69 days, indicating a relatively consistent, albeit fluctuating, credit-to-cash cycle over the four-year period.
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Operating Cycle
Merck & Co. Inc., operating cycle calculation (quarterly data)
No. days
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average inventory processing period | 138 | 148 | 160 | 162 | 150 | 147 | 149 | 153 | 151 | 144 | 139 | 137 | 134 | 124 | 118 | 119 | 133 | ||||||
| Average receivable collection period | 68 | 66 | 69 | 68 | 62 | 58 | 66 | 68 | 68 | 63 | 64 | 69 | 66 | 58 | 59 | 62 | 66 | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating cycle1 | 206 | 214 | 229 | 230 | 212 | 205 | 215 | 221 | 219 | 207 | 203 | 206 | 200 | 182 | 177 | 181 | 199 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Cycle, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| AbbVie Inc. | 173 | 174 | 178 | 186 | 177 | 161 | 164 | 153 | 155 | 148 | 153 | 160 | 155 | 146 | 134 | 145 | 143 | ||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 285 | 288 | 280 | 289 | 286 | 276 | 295 | 343 | 409 | 510 | 347 | 349 | 363 | 363 | 351 | 339 | 323 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 150 | 148 | 155 | 155 | 150 | 142 | 155 | 153 | 150 | 156 | 163 | 157 | 157 | 148 | 147 | 152 | 147 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 521 | 553 | 540 | 532 | 469 | 418 | 441 | 419 | 392 | 395 | 354 | 360 | 367 | 325 | 280 | 284 | 268 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 173 | 166 | 170 | 169 | 159 | 156 | 160 | 172 | 164 | 163 | 169 | 163 | 159 | 162 | 137 | 136 | 132 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 239 | 238 | 246 | 240 | 228 | 226 | 236 | 233 | 222 | 218 | 211 | 232 | 220 | 209 | 196 | 198 | 192 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 305 | 311 | 334 | 308 | 298 | 288 | 306 | 252 | 242 | 218 | 196 | 206 | 167 | 135 | 160 | 155 | 151 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 631 | 702 | 717 | 714 | 726 | 732 | 734 | 717 | 699 | 677 | 664 | 680 | 700 | 722 | 588 | 511 | 394 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 149 | 148 | 156 | 153 | 148 | 142 | 150 | 144 | 142 | 142 | 146 | 146 | 145 | 145 | 148 | 157 | 164 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 444 | 435 | 430 | 406 | 379 | 340 | 327 | 296 | 286 | 272 | 271 | 252 | 238 | 215 | 194 | 193 | 188 | ||||||
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 cycle = Average inventory processing period + Average receivable collection period
= 138 + 68 = 206
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The operating cycle demonstrates a period of expansion followed by a recent contraction, indicating fluctuations in the efficiency of converting current assets into cash. The total cycle duration reached a minimum of 177 days in September 2022 and peaked at 230 days in June 2025, before descending to 206 days by March 2026.
- Average Inventory Processing Period
- A prolonged upward trend is observed from December 2022, where the period was 124 days, peaking at 162 days in June 2025. This indicates a significant increase in the time required to move inventory through the production and sales process. A notable reversal occurred in the final three quarters of the analysis, with the period decreasing consistently to 138 days by March 2026.
- Average Receivable Collection Period
- The receivable collection period exhibits relative stability, fluctuating within a narrow range between 58 and 69 days. Periodic improvements in collection efficiency are observed toward the end of each calendar year, with the lowest durations of 58 days recorded in December 2022 and December 2024. This suggests a consistent approach to credit management despite the broader volatility in the operating cycle.
- Operating Cycle
- The overall operating cycle is primarily driven by the movements in inventory processing. The expansion from 182 days in December 2022 to 230 days in June 2025 reflects a temporary decline in operational liquidity. However, the subsequent reduction to 206 days by March 2026 suggests a recovery in efficiency, largely attributable to the acceleration of inventory turnover during the final phase of the reported period.
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Average Payables Payment Period
Merck & Co. Inc., average payables payment period 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Payables turnover | 4.44 | 3.72 | 3.53 | 3.82 | 3.98 | 3.72 | 4.26 | 4.39 | 4.48 | 4.11 | 4.59 | 4.58 | 4.34 | 4.08 | 5.16 | 4.86 | 4.25 | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio (no. days) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average payables payment period1 | 82 | 98 | 103 | 95 | 92 | 98 | 86 | 83 | 81 | 89 | 80 | 80 | 84 | 89 | 71 | 75 | 86 | ||||||
| Benchmarks (no. days) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Payables Payment Period, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 91 | 72 | 85 | 89 | 70 | 54 | 61 | 73 | 60 | 69 | 70 | 64 | 73 | 90 | 69 | 72 | 78 | ||||||
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. | 108 | 94 | 107 | 140 | 104 | 94 | 106 | 120 | 117 | 111 | 97 | 108 | 114 | 109 | 96 | 107 | 112 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 64 | 67 | 63 | 65 | 66 | 66 | 60 | 63 | 62 | 65 | 65 | 63 | 64 | 67 | 65 | 73 | 72 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 148 | 178 | 154 | 161 | 140 | 140 | 135 | 142 | 127 | 134 | 130 | 138 | 119 | 106 | 86 | 87 | 70 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 38 | 42 | 48 | 34 | 43 | 49 | 49 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 37 | 40 | 41 | 58 | 33 | 31 | 32 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 123 | 145 | 119 | 119 | 123 | 137 | 120 | 121 | 113 | 132 | 111 | 133 | 120 | 137 | 118 | 116 | 112 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 98 | 119 | 110 | 106 | 110 | 115 | 99 | 79 | 87 | 98 | 72 | 93 | 76 | 72 | 66 | 59 | 55 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 163 | 163 | 158 | 129 | 129 | 146 | 94 | 110 | 137 | 122 | 106 | 116 | 136 | 138 | 98 | 91 | 68 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 46 | 50 | 44 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 38 | 37 | 37 | 41 | 35 | 34 | 39 | 48 | 37 | 41 | 46 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 106 | 102 | 95 | 102 | 105 | 98 | 98 | 85 | 96 | 106 | 117 | 115 | 107 | 103 | 44 | 73 | 66 | ||||||
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
Average payables payment period = 365 ÷ Payables turnover
= 365 ÷ 4.44 = 82
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of short-term operating activity reveals a fluctuating trend in the duration required to settle accounts payable, characterized by a period of extension followed by a sharp correction in the most recent quarter.
- Payables Turnover Dynamics
- The payables turnover ratio exhibited early volatility in 2022, peaking at 5.16 in September before returning to a lower baseline. A gradual downward trend is observed starting in early 2024, with the ratio reaching a minimum of 3.53 in September 2025. This decline indicates a reduction in the frequency of supplier payments. However, a significant recovery occurred by March 2026, with the ratio rebounding to 4.44.
- Average Payables Payment Period Trends
- The payment period began at 86 days in March 2022 and reached a low of 71 days by September 2022. Throughout 2023, the period remained relatively stable, fluctuating within a range of 80 to 89 days. A consistent upward trend emerged from March 2024, as the period extended from 81 days to a peak of 103 days in September 2025. This extension suggests a strategic deferral of cash outflows to suppliers over a twenty-month period.
- Recent Period Adjustment
- A notable reversal in payment behavior is evident between September 2025 and March 2026. During this window, the average payment period dropped sharply from 103 days to 82 days. This acceleration in settling obligations aligns with the recovery of the turnover ratio, returning the payment cycle to levels consistent with the 2023 operating baseline.
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Cash Conversion Cycle
Merck & Co. Inc., cash conversion cycle calculation (quarterly data)
No. days
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average inventory processing period | 138 | 148 | 160 | 162 | 150 | 147 | 149 | 153 | 151 | 144 | 139 | 137 | 134 | 124 | 118 | 119 | 133 | ||||||
| Average receivable collection period | 68 | 66 | 69 | 68 | 62 | 58 | 66 | 68 | 68 | 63 | 64 | 69 | 66 | 58 | 59 | 62 | 66 | ||||||
| Average payables payment period | 82 | 98 | 103 | 95 | 92 | 98 | 86 | 83 | 81 | 89 | 80 | 80 | 84 | 89 | 71 | 75 | 86 | ||||||
| Short-term Activity Ratio | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash conversion cycle1 | 124 | 116 | 126 | 135 | 120 | 107 | 129 | 138 | 138 | 118 | 123 | 126 | 116 | 93 | 106 | 106 | 113 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash Conversion Cycle, Competitors2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amgen Inc. | 194 | 216 | 195 | 200 | 216 | 222 | 234 | 270 | 349 | 441 | 277 | 285 | 290 | 273 | 282 | 267 | 245 | ||||||
| Danaher Corp. | 86 | 81 | 92 | 90 | 84 | 76 | 95 | 90 | 88 | 91 | 98 | 94 | 93 | 81 | 82 | 79 | 75 | ||||||
| Eli Lilly & Co. | 373 | 375 | 386 | 371 | 329 | 278 | 306 | 277 | 265 | 261 | 224 | 222 | 248 | 219 | 194 | 197 | 198 | ||||||
| Gilead Sciences Inc. | 135 | 124 | 122 | 135 | 116 | 107 | 111 | 143 | 130 | 132 | 132 | 123 | 118 | 104 | 104 | 105 | 100 | ||||||
| Johnson & Johnson | 116 | 93 | 127 | 121 | 105 | 89 | 116 | 112 | 109 | 86 | 100 | 99 | 100 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 80 | ||||||
| Pfizer Inc. | 207 | 192 | 224 | 202 | 188 | 173 | 207 | 173 | 155 | 120 | 124 | 113 | 91 | 63 | 94 | 96 | 96 | ||||||
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 468 | 539 | 559 | 585 | 597 | 586 | 640 | 607 | 562 | 555 | 558 | 564 | 564 | 584 | 490 | 420 | 326 | ||||||
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | 103 | 98 | 112 | 110 | 104 | 97 | 112 | 107 | 105 | 101 | 111 | 112 | 106 | 97 | 111 | 116 | 118 | ||||||
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 338 | 333 | 335 | 304 | 274 | 242 | 229 | 211 | 190 | 166 | 154 | 137 | 131 | 112 | 150 | 120 | 122 | ||||||
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
Cash conversion cycle = Average inventory processing period + Average receivable collection period – Average payables payment period
= 138 + 68 – 82 = 124
2 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analyzed period reveals a general increase in the timeframe required to convert working capital into cash, characterized by significant volatility in inventory management. The overall trend indicates a cyclical expansion and subsequent moderate contraction of the cash conversion cycle.
- Average Inventory Processing Period
- An upward trend is observed starting from a low of 118 days in September 2022, with the period progressively extending to a peak of 162 days by June 2025. This suggests a decrease in inventory turnover efficiency or a strategic increase in stock levels during this window. A downward correction occurred in the final three quarters, ending at 138 days in March 2026.
- Average Receivable Collection Period
- Receivable collections remained relatively stable, oscillating between a minimum of 58 days and a maximum of 69 days. The absence of a sustained upward or downward trend indicates consistent credit control and a steady rate of collection from customers throughout the duration of the analysis.
- Average Payables Payment Period
- The period for settling payables exhibited considerable fluctuation. After reaching a low of 71 days in September 2022, the period generally extended, peaking at 103 days in September 2025. This extension of payment terms served to partially offset the liquidity pressures created by slower inventory turnover.
- Cash Conversion Cycle
- The cash conversion cycle demonstrates a period of deterioration in efficiency, rising from 93 days in December 2022 to a peak of 138 days in the first half of 2024. Although a significant temporary improvement to 107 days was recorded in December 2024, the cycle remained elevated compared to 2022 levels. The period concluded at 124 days in March 2026, reflecting a moderate recovery in operational liquidity.
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