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

NVS has the lower trailing P/E: MRK trades at 115.44 and NVS at 21.27. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.

Which has grown faster, MRK or NVS?

Over the past five years, MRK grew revenue faster — MRK at a 7.87% CAGR versus NVS at 1.53%.

Does MRK or NVS pay a bigger dividend?

MRK yields 2.36% and NVS yields 3.38% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.

Is MRK or NVS more profitable?

NVS runs the higher net margin — MRK at 4.78% versus NVS at 22.93%.

How have MRK and NVS total returns compared?

Over the past 10 years, MRK delivered 12.61% and NVS delivered 11.99% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) vs Novartis AG (NVS)

A side-by-side comparison of Merck & Co., Inc. and Novartis AG across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of October 2, 2026. Differences are shown without an overall score or investment verdict.

MRK

Merck & Co., Inc.

$356.40B

$144.30HealthcareDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:02 PM EDT

NVS

Novartis AG

$268.00B

$141.00HealthcareDelayed quote: Oct 2, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT

Total return — MRK vs NVS

growth of $100 · dividends reinvested · last 10y

MRK +220.3% (+12.3%/yr)NVS +209.2% (+12.0%/yr)MRK compounded faster over this window

MRK NVS

MRK vs NVS: by the numbers

•MRK is the larger company ($356.40B vs $268.00B market cap).
•NVS trades at the lower trailing earnings multiple (21.27 vs 115.44 P/E), one valuation lens rather than an overall verdict.
•NVS converts more revenue to profit (22.93% vs 4.78% net margin).
•MRK grew revenue faster over the past five years (7.87% vs 1.53% CAGR).
•NVS pays the higher dividend yield (3.38% vs 2.36%).

Metrics side by side

Valuation

Metric	MRK	NVS
P/E ratio	115.44	21.27
Forward P/E	52.76	16.02
PEG ratio	5.44	1.38
P/S ratio	5.37	4.82
P/B ratio	8.50	6.45
EV / EBITDA	22.81	13.85
FCF yield	4.51%	5.90%

Profitability

Metric	MRK	NVS
Gross margin	75.38%	74.44%
Operating margin	36.17%	30.54%
Net margin	4.78%	22.93%
ROE	7.57%	30.71%
ROIC	5.80%	13.93%

Dividends

Metric	MRK	NVS
Dividend yield	2.36%	3.38%
Payout ratio	272.00%	71.50%

Growth (annualized)

Metric	MRK	NVS
Revenue CAGR (5Y)	7.87%	1.53%
EPS CAGR (5Y)	21.21%	15.42%
FCF CAGR (5Y)	23.61%	8.92%
Total return CAGR (5Y)	15.53%	16.96%

Frequently asked

Which has the lower trailing P/E, MRK or NVS?: NVS has the lower trailing P/E: MRK trades at 115.44 and NVS at 21.27. P/E is one valuation measure and does not by itself establish which business is cheaper.
Which has grown faster, MRK or NVS?: Over the past five years, MRK grew revenue faster — MRK at a 7.87% CAGR versus NVS at 1.53%.
Does MRK or NVS pay a bigger dividend?: MRK yields 2.36% and NVS yields 3.38% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
Is MRK or NVS more profitable?: NVS runs the higher net margin — MRK at 4.78% versus NVS at 22.93%.
How have MRK and NVS total returns compared?: Over the past 10 years, MRK delivered 12.61% and NVS delivered 11.99% annualized total return. Past performance doesn't predict future results.

Go deeper

Full MRK analysis Full NVS analysis Interactive comparison tool

Dig into the metrics

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

Merck & Novartis AG appear in these rankings

Highest Dividend Yield Stocks Highest ROE 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 October 2, 2026.