Carlyle Group Inc vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Carlyle Group Inc trades at $48.27 (market cap $17.23B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $130.22 (market cap $321.77B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 18.7× Carlyle Group Inc's market cap, and Carlyle Group Inc pays the higher dividend (2.9%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| CG | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $17.23B | $321.77B |
Sector | Financials | Health |
52-Week High | $69.35 | $131.84 |
52-Week Low | $40.52 | $77.60 |
Dividend Yield | 2.9% | 2.61% |
Enterprise Value | — | $368.53B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
No Aura AI signal available yet.
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.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
The Carlyle Group is one of the world's largest alternative-asset managers, with $376.4 billion in total assets under management, including $259.6 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of June 2022. The company has three core business segments: private equity, which includes private equity, real estate, infrastructure and natural resources funds (accounting for 41% of fee-earning AUM and 65% of base management fees during 2021), global credit (45% and 24%) and investment solutions (14% and 11%). The firm primarily serves institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals. Carlyle operates through 29 offices across five continents, serving close to 2,700 active carry fund investors from 95 countries.
Read more on CG →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 →