Goldman Sachs Group Inc vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Goldman Sachs Group Inc trades at $1,035.36 (market cap $301.19B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $130.01 (market cap $321.77B). The key difference: Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Merck & Co., Inc. are close in size by market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GS | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $301.19B | $321.77B |
Volume | 2,592,735 | — |
Sector | Financials | Health |
52-Week High | $1.15K | $131.84 |
52-Week Low | $715.95 | $77.60 |
Dividend Yield | 1.93% | 2.61% |
Enterprise Value | — | $368.53B |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Goldman Sachs (GS) trades at $1,034.41, down 0.5% on the day, with a neutral technical signal. The company shows strong fundamental momentum with three consecutive quarterly EPS beats and revenue growth accelerating to $58.3B in 2025. Analyst consensus is mixed with 40% buy ratings but a $1,160 price target suggesting 12% upside potential. Recent news highlights Goldman's leadership role in major upcoming IPOs including Anthropic, SpaceX, and OpenAI.
The outlook remains positive given Goldman's positioning in the upcoming AI IPO wave and strong investment banking pipeline. Key risks include volatile cash flow patterns with negative operating cash flow in recent periods and market sensitivity to interest rate changes. The stock appears reasonably valued at 16x P/E with 31.7% net margins supporting further upside if earnings momentum continues.
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 Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a bank holding company, is a global investment banking and securities firm specializing in investment banking, trading and principal investments, asset management and securities services. The Company provides services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net worth individuals.
Read more on GS →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 →