Compare iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV) vs Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
iShares Core High Dividend ETF vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? iShares Core High Dividend ETF trades at $28.77 (market cap $14.68B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $141.98 (market cap $351.28B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 23.9× iShares Core High Dividend ETF's market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays a 2.39% dividend while iShares Core High Dividend ETF pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold iShares Core High Dividend ETF for 117 Days and Merck & Co., Inc. for 98 Days on average.
| HDV | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.68B | $351.28B |
Volume | 2,925,562 | 7,969,665 |
52-Week High | $29.93 | $156.43 |
52-Week Low | $23.64 | $82.49 |
Typical Hold Time | 117 Days | 98 Days |
Sector | — | Health |
Enterprise Value | — | $398.04B |
Dividend Yield | — | 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
HDV (iShares Core High Dividend ETF) trades at $28.28, down 0.28% on the day, with technical indicators showing a neutral to bearish bias. The ETF recently underwent a significant sector rebalancing, reducing healthcare exposure by nearly half while increasing energy, staples, and utilities. This shift creates heightened concentration risk with 62% of assets in just three sectors, offering a 3% yield that may not adequately compensate for reduced diversification according to Seeking Alpha analysis from September 28, 2026.
The outlook remains cautious as HDV's sector concentration and modest yield face headwinds from rising interest rates. While high-dividend ETFs are outperforming the S&P 500 in 2026 according to 24/7 Wall Street, HDV's structural changes introduce execution risk. Investors should weigh the trade-off between current income and long-term diversification benefits, particularly as the Fed continues tightening monetary policy.
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
Investor sentiment on Pluang
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Investor sentiment on Pluang
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About iShares Core High Dividend ETF
The fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its underlying index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its underlying index. The underlying index is comprised of qualified income paying securities that are screened for superior company quality and financial health as determined by Morningstar, Inc.'s proprietary index methodology. The fund is non-diversified.
Read more on HDV →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 →
