AES Corp vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? AES Corp trades at $14.72 (market cap $10.51B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $130.14 (market cap $323.00B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 30.7× AES Corp's market cap, and AES Corp pays the higher dividend (4.78%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AES | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $10.51B | $323.00B |
Sector | Utilities | Health |
52-Week High | $17.28 | $131.84 |
52-Week Low | $12.51 | $77.60 |
Enterprise Value | $40.77B | $369.77B |
Dividend Yield | 4.78% | 2.6% |
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Merck (MRK) trades at $130.90, up 1.81% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and strong institutional support. Recent earnings beats in Q4 2025 and Q1-Q2 2026, alongside a 28.07% net income margin in 2025, highlight operational strength. The acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals aims to bolster its oncology pipeline, though a high P/E of 104.74 signals premium valuation. Cash flow remains positive at $1.37B in 2025, but investing outflows have increased.
The stock offers growth potential from pipeline expansion and analyst consensus targeting $140.36, but risks include elevated debt-to-asset ratios (36.06% in 2025) and competitive pressures. Investors should weigh robust profitability against valuation concerns and macroeconomic headwinds affecting the pharma sector.
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AES is a global power company operating across 14 countries and 4 continents. Its current generation portfolio as of year-end 2021 consists of over 31 gigawatts of generation, with the generation mix composed of renewables (43%), gas (32%), coal (23%), and oil (2%). The company has 3.5 gigawatts of generation under construction. AES has majority ownership and operates six electric utilities distributing power to 2.6 million customers.
Read more on AES →Merck makes pharmaceutical products to treat several conditions in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardiometabolic disease, cancer, and infections. Within cancer, the firm's immuno-oncology platform is growing as a major contributor to overall sales. The company also has a substantial vaccine business, with treatments to prevent hepatitis B and pediatric diseases as well as HPV and shingles. Additionally, Merck sells animal health-related drugs. From a geographical perspective, just under half of the firm's sales are generated in the United States.
Read more on MRK →