MRK
Merck & Co. Inc. Healthcare - Pharmaceuticals Investor Relations →
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) closed at $114.18 as of 2026-03-20, trading 17.3% above its 200-week moving average of $97.30. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from 18.1% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 70, indicating neutral momentum.
Trading volume is running at 1.3x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.28 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 3302 weeks of data, MRK has crossed below its 200-week moving average 24 times. On average, these episodes lasted 30 weeks. Historically, investors who bought MRK at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +10.9%.
With a market cap of $282.3 billion, MRK is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 4.2%. Return on equity stands at 36.9%, indicating strong profitability. The stock trades at 5.4x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in MRK would have grown to $1796, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. MRK has returned 9.1% annualized vs 10.4% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -5.6% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: MRK vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After MRK Crosses Below the Line?
Across 14 historical episodes, buying MRK when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +10.0% after 12 months (median +7.0%), compared to +4.6% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 64% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +31.8% vs +16.5% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment MRK crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
MRK has crossed below its 200-week MA 24 times with an average 1-year return of +10.9% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1970 | Jun 1970 | 2 | 1.8% | +30.7% | +54264.8% |
| Jul 1970 | Sep 1970 | 8 | 12.4% | +29.9% | +55449.2% |
| Jul 1974 | Feb 1975 | 28 | 30.5% | +16.5% | +32184.5% |
| Mar 1975 | Apr 1975 | 1 | 4.0% | +7.4% | +29571.1% |
| Apr 1975 | Apr 1975 | 1 | 0.3% | +4.0% | +28305.2% |
| Jul 1975 | Nov 1975 | 15 | 11.4% | -4.5% | +27617.5% |
| Dec 1975 | Aug 1976 | 39 | 11.7% | -11.8% | +27342.7% |
| Oct 1976 | Dec 1978 | 111 | 27.3% | -27.9% | +27407.1% |
| Jun 1982 | Aug 1982 | 9 | 9.0% | +29.9% | +24750.7% |
| Jul 1984 | Jul 1984 | 1 | 0.2% | +51.2% | +19742.3% |
| Mar 1993 | Apr 1993 | 4 | 5.6% | -8.5% | +2019.2% |
| Jun 1993 | Nov 1994 | 74 | 22.8% | -10.3% | +1974.8% |
| Jun 2001 | Jul 2001 | 5 | 8.7% | -19.0% | +370.3% |
| Aug 2001 | Jul 2006 | 256 | 48.2% | -20.6% | +361.7% |
| Jun 2008 | Nov 2009 | 76 | 38.1% | -26.8% | +501.6% |
| Apr 2010 | Jun 2010 | 9 | 10.9% | +1.0% | +472.4% |
| Jun 2010 | Jul 2010 | 1 | 3.8% | +8.7% | +490.7% |
| Jul 2010 | Aug 2010 | 6 | 3.1% | +8.1% | +479.7% |
| Nov 2010 | Nov 2010 | 3 | 1.0% | +8.4% | +476.4% |
| Jan 2011 | Apr 2011 | 12 | 6.4% | +17.3% | +478.3% |
| Aug 2011 | Sep 2011 | 8 | 3.9% | +45.8% | +510.4% |
| Nov 2017 | Nov 2017 | 2 | 1.9% | +42.2% | +182.0% |
| Feb 2018 | Apr 2018 | 9 | 3.2% | +45.6% | +181.3% |
| Feb 2025 | Nov 2025 | 41 | 20.5% | +45.0% | +36.7% |
| Average | 30 | — | +10.9% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MRK below its 200-week moving average?
No. Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) is currently 17.3% above its 200-week moving average of $97.30. It would need to fall to $97.30 to cross below the line.
What is MRK's 200-week moving average price?
Merck & Co. Inc.'s 200-week moving average is $97.30 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when MRK drops below its 200-week moving average?
MRK has crossed below its 200-week moving average 24 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +10.9%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 30 weeks on average.
Is MRK a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about MRK as of 2026-03-20: The stock is above its 200-week moving average, so it doesn't currently meet our primary signal. The 14-week RSI is 70. Free cash flow yield is 4.2%. Return on equity is 36.9%. Price-to-book is 5.4x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does MRK compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in MRK would have grown to $1796, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 9.1% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. MRK has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Does MRK pay a dividend?
Yes. Merck & Co. Inc. currently pays a dividend yield of 298.00%.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20