Compare Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Price & Performance
Price performance
Price movement over the last 24 hours
Key statistics
Key statistics
Akamai Technologies, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Akamai Technologies, Inc. trades at $127.13 (market cap $16.63B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $126.15 (market cap $318.26B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 19.1× Akamai Technologies, Inc.'s market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays a 2.64% dividend while Akamai Technologies, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AKAM | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $16.63B | $318.26B |
Sector | Technology | Health |
52-Week High | $161.14 | $129.52 |
52-Week Low | $70.53 | $77.60 |
Enterprise Value | $21.56B | $361.68B |
Dividend Yield | — | 2.64% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Akamai Technologies (AKAM) trades at $114.37, up 1.06% on the day but down significantly from its 26-year high of $165.45 in May 2026. The stock faces a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. Revenue growth has slowed to 5% annually, with net income margin declining from 14.47% in 2022 to 10.74% in 2025. The company continues strategic moves in cybersecurity, completing the LayerX acquisition and expanding its NVIDIA partnership for AI security.
While analyst consensus remains positive with a $170.20 price target, near-term headwinds include declining profitability, high valuation multiples, and competitive pressures. The stock's current pullback presents a potential entry point for long-term investors believing in its cybersecurity and cloud computing positioning, though execution risks and margin compression require monitoring.
Merck (MRK) trades at $125.99, down 0.62% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong fundamentals. The company reported solid earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 loss narrower than expected, and maintains robust profitability with a net income margin of 13.59%. Recent news highlights Merck's acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals to bolster its oncology pipeline, reflecting strategic growth initiatives amid a competitive pharmaceutical landscape.
The stock offers upside to the consensus price target of $139.33, with 68% of analysts rating it a buy. Key risks include rising debt levels, with debt-to-asset ratio increasing to 36.06% in 2025, and potential headwinds from regulatory pressures and patent expirations. Investors should weigh strong cash flow and dividend payments against execution risks in M&A integration.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Akamai Technologies, Inc.
Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,000 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. Its customers generally include media companies, which stream video content or make video games available for download, and other enterprises that run interactive or high-traffic websites, such as e-commerce firms and financial institutions. Akamai also has a significant security business, which is integrated with its core web and media businesses to protect its customers from cyberthreats.
Read more on AKAM →About Merck & Co., Inc.
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 →
