Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)
LLY leads on 10 of 17 compared metrics, though MRK is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Eli Lilly and Company and Merck & Co., Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 13, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — LLY vs MRK
growth of $100 · last 30yLLY +3454.0%MRK +287.9%LLY compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
LLY MRK
LLY vs MRK: by the numbers
- •LLY is the larger company ($1.07T vs $294.03B market cap).
- •MRK trades at the lower earnings multiple (33.54 vs 40.25 P/E).
- •LLY converts more revenue to profit (34.98% vs 13.62% net margin).
- •LLY grew revenue faster over the past five years (23.17% vs 8.60% CAGR).
- •MRK pays the higher dividend yield (2.79% vs 0.57%).
Which is better, LLY or MRK?
Metric tally: LLY 10 · MRK 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueMRK(lower P/E)
GrowthLLY(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeMRK(higher dividend yield)
QualityLLY(higher ROIC)
Valuation
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 40.25 | 33.54● |
| Forward P/E | 25.41 | 12.35● |
| P/S ratio | 14.05 | 4.49● |
| P/B ratio | 32.54 | 6.41● |
| PEG ratio | 0.49● | 1.81 |
| EV / EBITDA | 31.47 | 19.58● |
| FCF yield | 1.34% | 4.80%● |
Profitability
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.51%● | 75.91% |
| Operating margin | 45.87%● | 27.59% |
| Net margin | 34.98%● | 13.62% |
| ROE | 81.01%● | 19.48% |
| ROIC | 30.20%● | 18.27% |
Dividends
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.57% | 2.79%● |
| Payout ratio | 28.09% | 45.48% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 23.17%● | 8.60% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 28.88%● | 21.21% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 19.54%● | 15.69% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 39.57%● | 12.79% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, LLY or MRK?
- It depends on your goal. value: MRK (lower P/E); growth: LLY (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: MRK (higher dividend yield); quality: LLY (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, LLY leads 10 to 7.
- Is LLY or MRK cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, MRK is cheaper: LLY trades at a 40.25 P/E and MRK at 33.54.
- Which has grown faster, LLY or MRK?
- Over the past five years, LLY grew revenue faster — LLY at a 23.17% CAGR versus MRK at 8.60%.
- Does LLY or MRK pay a bigger dividend?
- LLY yields 0.57% and MRK yields 2.79% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is LLY or MRK more profitable?
- LLY runs the higher net margin — LLY at 34.98% versus MRK at 13.62%.
- Which has been the better investment, LLY or MRK?
- Over the past 10-year, LLY delivered the higher annualized total return — LLY at 33.50% versus MRK at 11.57%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Eli Lilly and P/E ratioMerck & P/E ratioEli Lilly and dividend yieldMerck & dividend yieldEli Lilly and ROEMerck & ROEEli Lilly and operating marginMerck & operating marginEli Lilly and revenue growthMerck & revenue growthEli Lilly and free cash flowMerck & free cash flow
Eli Lilly and & Merck & appear in these rankings
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 June 13, 2026.