Compare CVS Health Corp (CVS) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
CVS Health Corp vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? CVS Health Corp trades at $86.01 (market cap $112.29B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $142.03 (market cap $351.28B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 3.1× CVS Health Corp's market cap, and CVS Health Corp pays the higher dividend (3.03%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold CVS Health Corp for 83 Days and Merck & Co., Inc. for 98 Days on average.
| CVS | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $112.29B | $351.28B |
Volume | 7,763,676 | 7,969,665 |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $110.60 | $156.43 |
52-Week Low | $70.08 | $82.49 |
Typical Hold Time | 83 Days | 98 Days |
Enterprise Value | $174.64B | $398.04B |
Dividend Yield | 3.03% | 2.39% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
CVS Health trades at $87.95, up 1.76% with strong analyst support (85% buy ratings) and a $111.20 consensus price target suggesting 26% upside. Recent quarterly earnings consistently beat expectations, with Q2 2026 EPS of $2.58 surpassing the $1.85 estimate. Revenue growth remains solid at $402.07 billion for 2025, though net margins compressed to 1.18%. Technical indicators show a bullish overall signal with support at $87 and resistance at $89.
The outlook remains positive given CVS's dominant market position and Medicare expansion plans, but investors face risks from reimbursement pressures and ongoing legal investigations. Earnings growth and successful execution of healthcare services integration represent the primary catalysts for continued stock appreciation.
Merck (MRK) trades at $142.79, up 0.61% today, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamental performance. The company reported revenue of $65.01B in 2025 with a net income margin of 28.07%, and recent quarterly EPS have consistently beaten expectations. Merck is actively expanding its pipeline through acquisitions, such as the pending $6.7B purchase of Terns Pharmaceuticals announced in April 2026.
The outlook is supported by solid profitability and analyst optimism, with a consensus price target of $158.78 implying upside. Key risks include integration challenges from acquisitions and competitive pressures in the oncology sector. Cash flow trends show variability, with a projected net cash outflow of $1.2B in 2026 due to significant investing activities.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
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About CVS Health Corp
Following its acquisition of Aetna in late 2018, CVS Health now provides an even more integrated healthcare-services offering for its members. Legacy CVS combined both the largest pharmacy benefit manager, processing over 2 billion adjusted claims annually, and a sizable pharmacy operation, including nearly 10,000 retail pharmacy locations primarily in the U.S. Adding a managed-care organization with 24 million medical members gives the company a strong position in the insurance industry and should help CVS better control overall healthcare costs for its clients.
Read more on CVS →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 →
