Merck

A multinational pharmaceutical company, Merck is known for developing medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products. The company’s operations are managed on a products basis that includes two operating segments: the pharmaceutical and animal health segments. Merck has grown steadily in recent years, thanks in large part to a string of blockbuster drugs and products. In 2020, the company had six products that each earned over $1 billion in revenue, including Keytruda, a cancer treatment drug, and Gardasil, an HPV vaccine. During the coronavirus pandemic, Merck teamed up with competitor Johnson & Johnson to help manufacture and distribute J&J’s COVID-19 vaccine, a significant step in helping the country recover from the devastating impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
F500-2020-069-Merck
Brendan McDermid—REUTERS

Company Information

As of 6/5/23
Country/Territory
U.S.
Headquarters
Rahway, N.J.
Industry
Pharmaceuticals
CEO
Robert M. Davis
Company Type
Public
Ticker
MRK
Revenues ($M)
$59,283
Profits ($M)
$14,519
Market Value ($M)
$270,081
Employees
68,000
Spun off Organon (2022 rank: 568), June 2, 2021. Market value as of March 31, 2023.

Earnings Per Share (Last Fiscal Year)

Earnings Per Share ($)
5.71
EPS % Change (from 2021)
11.1%
EPS % Change (5 year annual rate)
45.7%
EPS % Change (10 year annual rate)
11.1%

Total Return

Total Return to Investors (2022)
49.4%
Total Return to Investors (5 year, annualized)
19.2%
Total Return to Investors (10 year, annualized)
14.6%

Best Companies

Rank last year
-
Years on list
9
Employees (as of March 2023)
27,731
Job openings (as of March 2023)
1,963
Year founded
1851

Benefits

100% health coverage
no
Subsidized childcare
yes
Compressed work weeks
yes
Option to work remotely
yes
Minimum requirement in-office attendance (days per week)
none
Percentage of health care premiums covered
85
Mental health coverage
yes
Free mental health sessions (per year)
-
Free backup childcare time off (days)
-
Maximum $ amount covered for fertility services
$20,001 to $40,000
Fully paid maternal leave (days)
100
Fully paid paternal leave (days)
60
Fully paid adoptive leave (days)
60
Maternal leave in addition to regular time off (days)
160
Paid days off for volunteering
yes

Diversity

% Women
50%
% Minorities
33%
% African-American/Black
9%
% Asian
17%
% Caucasian/White
63%
% Hispanic/Latino
6%
% Native American/Alaska Native
1%
% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
1%
% Two or more races
2%
% Unknown ethnicity
3%

World's Most Admired Companies

Sector
Natural resources
Industry
Pharmaceuticals
Current All-Star Rank
-
Previous All-Star Rank
-
Industry Rank
3
Previous Industry Rank
2
Overall Score
7.66
Innovation
4
People Management
2
Use of Corporate Assets
3
Social Responsibility
1
Quality of Management
2
Financial Soundness
4
Long-Term Investment Value
3
Quality of Products/Services
3
Global Competitiveness
5

Change the World

Impact Segment
Public Health
Sector
Health Care
Prior Year Rank
-

Key Financials (Last Fiscal Year)

($ Millions)
% change
Revenues ($M)
$51,216
6.7%
Profits ($M)
$13,049
84.6%
Assets ($M)
$105,694
-
Total Stockholder Equity ($M)
$38,184
-

Profit Ratios

Profit as % of Revenues
25.5%
Profits as % of Assets
12.3%
Profits as % of Stockholder Equity
34.2%
Lists ranking Merck
RANK262
Global 500 - 2022Aggregate sales hit $37.8 trillion last year—an in...READ MOREview in list
RANK100000
World's Most Admired Companies - 2023The 25th Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies li...READ MOREview in list
RANK69
Fortune 500 - 2023The Fortune 500, in its 69th year in 2023, ranks t...READ MOREview in list
RANK42
Change the World - 2022...READ MOREview in list