Gilead Sciences, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Gilead Sciences, Inc. trades at $135.34 (market cap $168.35B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $130.29 (market cap $321.77B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GILD | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $168.35B | $321.77B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $155.80 | $131.84 |
52-Week Low | $110.56 | $77.60 |
Enterprise Value | $191.42B | $368.53B |
Dividend Yield | 2.42% | 2.61% |
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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
Gilead Sciences develops and markets therapies to treat life-threatening infectious diseases, with the core of its portfolio focused on HIV and hepatitis B and C. The acquisitions of Corus Pharma, Myogen, CV Therapeutics, Arresto Biosciences, and Calistoga have broadened this focus to include pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Gilead's acquisition of Pharmasset brought rights to hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, which is also part of combination drug Harvoni, and the Kite, Forty Seven, and Immunomedics acquisitions boost Gilead's exposure to cell therapy and noncell therapy in oncology.
Read more on GILD →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 →