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

AZN has the lower trailing P/E: AZN trades at 12.77 and MRK at 36.83. 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 16.99% CAGR versus MRK at 8.60%.

Does AZN or MRK pay a bigger dividend?

AZN yields 1.89% and MRK yields 2.57% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.

Is AZN or MRK more profitable?

AZN runs the higher net margin — AZN at 17.19% versus MRK at 13.62%.

How have AZN and MRK total returns compared?

Over the past 10 years, AZN delivered 13.96% and MRK delivered 12.27% 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 July 28, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

AZN

AstraZeneca PLC

$133.67B

$172.48HealthcareDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 7:53 PM EDT

MRK

Merck & Co., Inc.

$325.61B

$131.84HealthcareDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT

Total return — AZN vs MRK

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30y

AZN +2029.9%MRK +990.2%AZN compounded faster

AZN MRK

AZN vs MRK: by the numbers

•MRK is the larger company ($325.61B vs $133.67B market cap).
•AZN trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (12.77 vs 36.83 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
•AZN converts more revenue to profit (17.19% vs 13.62% net margin).
•AZN grew revenue faster over the past five years (16.99% vs 8.60% CAGR).
•MRK pays the higher dividend yield (2.57% vs 1.89%).

Metrics side by side

Valuation

Metric	AZN	MRK
P/E ratio	12.77	36.83
Forward P/E	16.58	47.09
P/S ratio	2.19	4.93
P/B ratio	2.80	7.05
PEG ratio	0.29	1.81
EV / EBITDA	7.89	15.16
FCF yield	6.09%	4.37%

Profitability

Metric	AZN	MRK
Gross margin	81.68%	75.91%
Operating margin	23.69%	36.17%
Net margin	17.19%	13.62%
ROE	21.95%	19.48%
ROIC	13.03%	18.27%

Dividends

Metric	AZN	MRK
Dividend yield	1.89%	2.57%
Payout ratio	24.24%	46.03%

Growth (annualized)

Metric	AZN	MRK
Revenue CAGR (5Y)	16.99%	8.60%
EPS CAGR (5Y)	22.02%	21.21%
FCF CAGR (5Y)	15.68%	15.69%
Total return CAGR (5Y)	10.56%	14.44%

Frequently asked

Which has the lower trailing P/E, AZN or MRK?: AZN has the lower trailing P/E: AZN trades at 12.77 and MRK at 36.83. 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 16.99% CAGR versus MRK at 8.60%.
Does AZN or MRK pay a bigger dividend?: AZN yields 1.89% and MRK yields 2.57% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is AZN or MRK more profitable?: AZN runs the higher net margin — AZN at 17.19% versus MRK at 13.62%.
How have AZN and MRK total returns compared?: Over the past 10 years, AZN delivered 13.96% and MRK delivered 12.27% 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 ROIC Stocks Highest Operating Margin 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 July 28, 2026.