Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK)
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 July 28, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
LLY
Eli Lilly and Company
$1,222.61HealthcareDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
MRK
Merck & Co., Inc.
$131.84HealthcareDelayed quote: Jul 28, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT
Total return — LLY vs MRK
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 30yLLY +8631.2%MRK +990.2%LLY compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
LLY MRK
LLY vs MRK: by the numbers
- •LLY is the larger company ($1.15T vs $325.61B market cap).
- •MRK trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (36.83 vs 42.54 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •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 (2.57% vs 0.54%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 42.54 | 36.83 |
| Forward P/E | 34.10 | 47.09 |
| P/S ratio | 14.85 | 4.93 |
| P/B ratio | 34.39 | 7.05 |
| PEG ratio | 0.49 | 1.81 |
| EV / EBITDA | 31.98 | 15.16 |
| FCF yield | 1.27% | 4.37% |
Profitability
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.51% | 75.91% |
| Operating margin | 45.87% | 36.17% |
| Net margin | 34.98% | 13.62% |
| ROE | 81.01% | 19.48% |
| ROIC | 30.20% | 18.27% |
Dividends
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.54% | 2.57% |
| Payout ratio | 28.09% | 46.03% |
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) | 38.81% | 14.44% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, LLY or MRK?
- MRK has the lower trailing P/E: LLY trades at 42.54 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, 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 0.54% and MRK yields 2.57% 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%.
- How have LLY and MRK total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, LLY delivered 32.66% and MRK delivered 12.27% annualized total return. 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 July 28, 2026.