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 September 11, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.
LLY
Eli Lilly and Company
$1,115.25HealthcareDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 3:59 PM EDT
MRK
Merck & Co., Inc.
$143.94HealthcareDelayed quote: Sep 11, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT
Total return — LLY vs MRK
growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10yLLY +1566.6% (+32.5%/yr)MRK +228.7% (+12.6%/yr)LLY compounded faster over this window
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
LLY MRK
LLY vs MRK: by the numbers
- •LLY is the larger company ($1.05T vs $355.49B market cap).
- •LLY trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (37.42 vs 115.15 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
- •LLY converts more revenue to profit (33.53% vs 4.78% net margin).
- •LLY grew revenue faster over the past five years (24.42% vs 7.87% CAGR).
- •MRK pays the higher dividend yield (2.32% vs 0.60%).
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 37.42 | 115.15 |
| Forward P/E | 30.64 | 52.41 |
| P/S ratio | 13.18 | 5.35 |
| P/B ratio | 31.00 | 8.48 |
| EV / EBITDA | 29.91 | 22.76 |
| FCF yield | 1.91% | 4.52% |
Profitability
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 84.01% | 75.38% |
| Operating margin | 43.92% | 36.17% |
| Net margin | 33.53% | 4.78% |
| ROE | 78.84% | 7.57% |
| ROIC | 27.38% | 5.80% |
Dividends
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.60% | 2.32% |
| Payout ratio | 22.45% | 268.80% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | LLY | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 24.42% | 7.87% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 28.88% | 21.21% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 32.91% | 23.61% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 37.46% | 18.15% |
Frequently asked
- Which has the lower trailing P/E, LLY or MRK?
- LLY has the lower trailing P/E: LLY trades at 37.42 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, LLY or MRK?
- Over the past five years, LLY grew revenue faster — LLY at a 24.42% CAGR versus MRK at 7.87%.
- Does LLY or MRK pay a bigger dividend?
- LLY yields 0.60% and MRK yields 2.32% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is LLY or MRK more profitable?
- LLY runs the higher net margin — LLY at 33.53% versus MRK at 4.78%.
- How have LLY and MRK total returns compared?
- Over the past 10 years, LLY delivered 32.58% and MRK delivered 12.68% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Eli Lilly P/E ratioMerck P/E ratioEli Lilly dividend yieldMerck dividend yieldEli Lilly ROEMerck ROEEli Lilly operating marginMerck operating marginEli Lilly revenue growthMerck revenue growthEli Lilly free cash flowMerck free cash flow
Eli Lilly & 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 September 11, 2026.