Dollar General Corp. vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Dollar General Corp. trades at $120 (market cap $27.00B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $130.38 (market cap $323.00B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 12× Dollar General Corp.'s market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.6%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| DG | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $27.00B | $323.00B |
Sector | Consumer Staples | Health |
52-Week High | $156.26 | $131.84 |
52-Week Low | $95.94 | $77.60 |
Enterprise Value | $41.45B | $369.77B |
Dividend Yield | 1.93% | 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.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
A leading American discount retailer, Dollar General operates over 18,000 stores in 47 states, selling branded and private-label products across a wide variety of categories. In fiscal 2021, 77% of net sales came from consumables (including paper and cleaning products, packaged and perishable food, tobacco, and health and beauty items), 12% from seasonal merchandise (such as toys, greeting cards, decorations, and gardening supplies), 7% from home products (for example, kitchen supplies, small appliances, and cookware), and 4% from basic apparel. Stores average roughly 7,400 square feet, and about 75% of Dollar General locations are in towns of 20,000 or fewer people. The firm emphasizes value, with most of its items sold at everyday low prices of $5 or less.
Read more on DG →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 →