Which has the lower trailing P/E, AZN or MRK?

AZN has the lower trailing P/E: AZN trades at 24.05 and MRK at 115.15. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.

Which has grown faster, AZN or MRK?

Over the past five years, AZN grew revenue faster — AZN at a 15.76% CAGR versus MRK at 7.87%.

Does AZN or MRK pay a bigger dividend?

AZN yields 2.02% and MRK yields 2.32% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.

Is AZN or MRK more profitable?

AZN runs the higher net margin — AZN at 17.02% versus MRK at 4.78%.

How have AZN and MRK total returns compared?

Over the past 10 years, AZN delivered 12.85% and MRK delivered 12.68% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)

A side-by-side comparison of AstraZeneca PLC and Merck & Co., Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of September 10, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

AZN

AstraZeneca PLC

$248.40B

$160.17HealthcareDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

MRK

Merck & Co., Inc.

$355.49B

$143.94HealthcareDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

Total return — AZN vs MRK

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y

AZN +228.1% (+12.6%/yr)MRK +228.7% (+12.6%/yr)MRK compounded faster over this window

AZN MRK

AZN vs MRK: by the numbers

•MRK is the larger company ($355.49B vs $248.40B market cap).
•AZN trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (24.05 vs 115.15 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
•AZN converts more revenue to profit (17.02% vs 4.78% net margin).
•AZN grew revenue faster over the past five years (15.76% vs 7.87% CAGR).
•MRK pays the higher dividend yield (2.32% vs 2.02%).

Metrics side by side

Valuation

Metric	AZN	MRK
P/E ratio	24.05	115.15
Forward P/E	15.64	52.41
P/S ratio	4.05	5.35
P/B ratio	4.94	8.48
EV / EBITDA	13.56	22.76
FCF yield	3.52%	4.52%

Profitability

Metric	AZN	MRK
Gross margin	81.88%	75.38%
Operating margin	22.77%	36.17%
Net margin	17.02%	4.78%
ROE	20.79%	7.57%
ROIC	12.83%	5.80%

Dividends

Metric	AZN	MRK
Dividend yield	2.02%	2.32%
Payout ratio	48.50%	268.80%

Growth (annualized)

Metric	AZN	MRK
Revenue CAGR (5Y)	15.76%	7.87%
EPS CAGR (5Y)	22.02%	21.21%
FCF CAGR (5Y)	14.53%	23.61%
Total return CAGR (5Y)	9.46%	18.15%

Frequently asked

Which has the lower trailing P/E, AZN or MRK?: AZN has the lower trailing P/E: AZN trades at 24.05 and MRK at 115.15. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
Which has grown faster, AZN or MRK?: Over the past five years, AZN grew revenue faster — AZN at a 15.76% CAGR versus MRK at 7.87%.
Does AZN or MRK pay a bigger dividend?: AZN yields 2.02% and MRK yields 2.32% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is AZN or MRK more profitable?: AZN runs the higher net margin — AZN at 17.02% versus MRK at 4.78%.
How have AZN and MRK total returns compared?: Over the past 10 years, AZN delivered 12.85% and MRK delivered 12.68% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full AZN analysis Full MRK analysis Interactive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

AstraZeneca P/E ratio Merck P/E ratio AstraZeneca dividend yield Merck dividend yield AstraZeneca ROE Merck ROE AstraZeneca operating margin Merck operating margin AstraZeneca revenue growth Merck revenue growth AstraZeneca free cash flow Merck free cash flow

AstraZeneca & Merck appear in these rankings

Highest Dividend Yield Stocks Fastest Revenue Growth Stocks Highest Operating Margin Stocks Highest FCF Yield Stocks

Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified September 10, 2026.