Home Depot Inc vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? Home Depot Inc trades at $290.99 (market cap $294.79B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $145.68 (market cap $351.28B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Home Depot Inc pays the higher dividend (3.15%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Home Depot Inc for 139 Days and Merck & Co., Inc. for 98 Days on average.
| HD | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $294.79B | $351.28B |
Volume | 8,693,917 | 7,969,665 |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Health |
52-Week High | $391.90 | $156.43 |
52-Week Low | $281.15 | $82.49 |
Typical Hold Time | 139 Days | 98 Days |
Enterprise Value | $355.27B | $398.04B |
Dividend Yield | 3.15% | 2.39% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Home Depot (HD) trades at $290.74, up 1.74% on the day, reflecting positive momentum amid a bullish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, a P/E of 20.68, and a net income margin of 8.41%. Recent cash flow trends indicate significant investment activity, while analyst consensus remains optimistic with a $379.93 price target. News highlights institutional adjustments and focus on Pro segment growth amid housing market pressures.
The outlook for HD is supported by solid profitability and analyst confidence, but risks include weakening big-ticket demand and margin pressures from investments. Housing market volatility and rising mortgage rates present headwinds, yet long-term prospects are bolstered by strategic initiatives and resilient Pro customer demand.
Merck (MRK) trades at $144.96, up 1.52% today, with a bearish technical signal despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows strong profitability with a 72.97% gross margin and 28.07% net income margin for 2025, though its P/E ratio of 113.9 indicates high valuation. Recent news highlights Merck's acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals to bolster its oncology pipeline, reflecting strategic growth initiatives amid competitive pressures.
The outlook is mixed: analyst consensus is bullish with a $158.78 price target, but technical indicators and a high P/E suggest near-term caution. Key risks include integration challenges from acquisitions and macroeconomic headwinds affecting pharmaceutical R&D investment. Revenue growth and pipeline execution remain critical for sustained upside.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Latest headlines on both assets
Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, operating more than 2,300 warehouse-format stores offering more than 30,000 products in store and 1 million products online in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Its stores offer numerous building materials, home improvement products, lawn and garden products, and decor products and provide various services, including home improvement installation services and tool and equipment rentals. The acquisition of distributor Interline Brands in 2015 allowed Home Depot to enter the maintenance, repair, and operations business, which has been expanded through the tie-up with HD Supply (2020). The addition of the Company Store brought textile exposure to Home Depot's lineup.
Read more on HD →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 →