KKR & Co Inc vs Merck & Co., Inc. — how do they compare? KKR & Co Inc trades at $90.95 (market cap $80.39B), while Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $145.6 (market cap $351.28B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. is far larger — about 4.4× KKR & Co Inc's market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.39%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold KKR & Co Inc for 67 Days and Merck & Co., Inc. for 98 Days on average.
| KKR | MRK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $80.39B | $351.28B |
Volume | 6,517,705 | 7,969,665 |
Sector | Financials | Health |
52-Week High | $142.75 | $156.43 |
52-Week Low | $83.88 | $82.49 |
Typical Hold Time | 67 Days | 98 Days |
Enterprise Value | $2.95B | $398.04B |
Dividend Yield | 0.87% | 2.39% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
KKR trades at $89.56, down 0.12% with bearish technical signals despite strong analyst support. The company reported mixed quarterly results with Q2 2026 EPS beating expectations at $1.63 versus $1.43 estimate, while Q4 2025 missed. Recent business activity includes joint ventures with Thomson Reuters and Realty Income, plus multiple asset sales in Asia. Financial trends show revenue stabilizing around $19-21B with net margins improving to 14.96% projected for 2026.
The investment case balances strong Wall Street bullishness (88.9% buy ratings, $123.30 consensus target) against technical weakness and volatile cash flows. Key opportunities include continued earnings beats and strategic partnerships, while risks involve significant debt levels and market-sensitive investment returns. The stock presents a value gap if fundamentals can overcome current technical pressure.
Merck (MRK) trades at $142.40, down 0.28% on the day, with a bearish technical signal from moving averages. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q3 2026 results pending. Revenue grew to $65.01 billion in 2025, and net income reached $18.25 billion. Recent news highlights Merck's acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals to bolster its oncology pipeline, with institutional investors increasing stakes.
The outlook for Merck is supported by analyst consensus with a $158.78 price target and 68% buy ratings, but risks include high valuation multiples like a P/E of 113.9 and competitive pressures in the pharma sector. The stock's investment appeal hinges on pipeline execution and integration of acquisitions amid a challenging technical backdrop.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Latest headlines on both assets
KKR is one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, with $490.7 billion in total assets under management, including $384.5 billion in fee-earning AUM, at the end of June 2022. The company has two core segments: asset management (which includes private markets--private equity, credit, infrastructure, energy and real estate--and public markets--primarily credit and hedge/investment fund platforms) and insurance (following the February 2021 purchase of a 61.5% economic stake in Global Atlantic Financial Group, which is engaged in retirement/annuity and life insurance lines as well as reinsurance). On the asset management side, private markets account for 50% of fee-earning AUM and 70% of base management fees, while public markets account for 50% and 30%, respectively.
Read more on KKR →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 →