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Compare Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) vs Morgan Stanley (MS) Price & Performance

Merck & Co., Inc.Trade
Morgan StanleyTrade

Price performance (Past 24H)

Key statistics

Merck & Co., Inc. vs Morgan Stanley — how do they compare? Merck & Co., Inc. trades at $126.14 (market cap $307.25B), while Morgan Stanley trades at $216.64 (market cap $331.60B). The key difference: Merck & Co., Inc. and Morgan Stanley are close in size by market cap, and Merck & Co., Inc. pays the higher dividend (2.73%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.

MRKMS
Market Cap
$307.25B$331.60B
Sector
HealthFinancials
52-Week High
$129.52$228.42
52-Week Low
$77.60$139.09
Enterprise Value
$350.66B
Dividend Yield
2.73%2.18%

Aura AI Summary

Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice

Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck (MRK) trades at $126.27, down 0.96% on the day, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamentals including a net income margin of 13.59% and ROE of 18.97%. Recent earnings beats and the acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals for approximately $6.7 billion highlight strategic growth initiatives. The stock is supported by a consensus analyst price target of $137.30, indicating potential upside from current levels.

The outlook for Merck is positive, driven by robust profitability, strategic acquisitions, and analyst confidence. Key risks include rising debt levels, with debt-to-asset ratio increasing to 36.06% in 2025, and competitive pressures in the oncology space. Investors should weigh strong cash flow generation against execution risks in integrating recent acquisitions.

Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (MS) trades at $215.48, down 1.33% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamental performance. Revenue grew to $66.0B in 2025, with net income reaching $16.9B and a profit margin of 25.6%. The stock has beaten earnings estimates for three consecutive quarters, and analysts maintain a consensus buy rating with a $241.36 price target. Recent news highlights Morgan Stanley's role in leading Anthropic's IPO and expanding AI integration in wealth management.

The outlook for MS is positive, driven by earnings momentum and strategic initiatives like AI adoption and high-profile IPOs. Risks include volatile cash flows from operations and rising debt-to-asset ratios. The stock offers potential upside to the consensus target, but investors should monitor execution on growth initiatives and macroeconomic impacts on financial services.

Returns comparison

Trailing returns across standard periods

Top news

Latest headlines on both assets

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.

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About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a global investment bank whose history, through its legacy firms, can be traced back to 1924. The company has institutional securities, wealth management, and investment management segments. The company had about $5 trillion of client assets as well as over 70,000 employees at the end of 2021. Approximately 50% of the company's net revenue is from its institutional securities business, with the remainder coming from wealth and investment management. The company derives about 30% of its total revenue outside the Americas.

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