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STOCK COMPARISON

Amgen vs Merck & Company: Fair Value & Quality

Both stocks run through our valuation models. Here is how Amgen (AMGN) and Merck & Company (MRK) compare, as of Oct 5, 2026.

As of Oct 5, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees Amgen as the more attractively valued of the two: Amgen trades at $403 versus a fair value of $464 (+15.0%), while Merck & Company trades at $144 versus $129 (−10.4%).
Amgen
AMGN · USD · Health Care
+15.0%
upside to fair value
undervalued
Price$403
Fair Value$464
Quality63/100
Merck & Company
MRK · USD · Health Care
−10.4%
upside to fair value
overvalued
Price$144
Fair Value$129
Quality66/100
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Head-to-head numbers

Green is the better side of a row, red the weaker one (for valuation multiples: lower = cheaper). Grey rows are for reference only and are not scored.

betterweakerfor reference, not scored

AmgenMerck & Company
Valuation
25.3×P/E (TTM)116.4×
33.1×P/E ex one-offs (FY2025)n/a
16.5×Forward P/E (FY2027)15.2×
n/aMedian P/E at FY-end (5 FY, reported earnings)14.9×
5.76×P/S (TTM)5.36×
25.32× · book value is mostly goodwillP/B6.78×
15.1×EV/EBITDA13.5×
2.48×PEG2.70×
+15.0%Fair value upside−10.4%
2.4%Dividend yield2.3%
$9.80Dividend per share$3.32
Profitability
35.6%Operating margin-0.2%
0.81×EBIT margin trend (5Y)2.70×
91.5%Return on equity7.0%
8.7%Return on assets11.9%
Growth
9.5%Revenue growth (YoY)5.1%
11.8%Avg. growth/yr (3Y)3.1%
7.6%Avg. growth/yr (5Y)n/a
+2.2%Value creation/yr+17.2%
Balance & size
3.9×Interest coverage (EBIT/interest)17.3×
5.78×Debt / equity0.89×
$219BMarket cap$357B
healthyGrowth qualityhealthy
The P/E excluding one-off items is only shown where the special items are documented in the accounts (our own raw data or SEC filings). If one side lacks it, the reported P/E stays scored.
Merck & Company, median P/E at fiscal year-end, 5 fiscal years (2021 to 2025), reported earnings: 14.9.
Forward P/E: price divided by the analyst consensus for the first fiscal year that has not started yet. The current year carries special items from quarters already reported. Merck & Company: FY 2026 earnings estimate probably distorted by a special item known to analysts (2.73 is not between the FY 2025 actual of 8.97 and the FY 2027 estimate of 9.49).

Merck & Company leads: 6 to 7 metric wins.

n/a = not meaningfully computable, for example with negative equity.

Quality in detail

The quality score, broken down into the same factor families as on the stock page, 0 to 100 per family.

Amgenof which business quality 60 · market factors 76 Merck & Companyof which business quality 68 · market factors 83
ProfitabilityMargins and returns on capital today
64
74
Quality GrowthAre margins and returns improving?
79
36
CashflowEarnings quality: real cash, not paper profit
78
65
Fin. StrengthBalance sheet, leverage, solvency risk
22
68
InvestmentDisciplined investing over empire-building
42
71
Low VolatilityCalm price path (market factor)
84
85
MomentumPrice trend over the last 3–12 months (market factor)
70
77
52W MomentumDistance to the 52-week high (market factor)
76
92
Net IssuanceShare count: buybacks or dilution?
78
94

What the models say

How far the median fair value (base case) per model family sits from the current price, in percent. The amount in the currency of the trading venue is shown underneath.

above the price, more than 15% above close to the price, 85% to 115% of the price below the price, more than 15% below

Model familyAmgenPrice $403Merck & CompanyPrice $144
DCF Models−13.4%close to the price$349−16.2%below the price$121
Earnings-Based−62.6%below the price$151−56.5%below the price$62.84
Dividend Discount−55.1%below the price$181−58.1%below the price$60.41
Multiples−38.2%below the price$249−15.2%below the price$122
Asset-Based−97.3%below the price$10.73−90.1%below the price$14.29
Growth DCF−27.0%below the price$294−44.9%below the price$79.49
Economic Profit−66.5%below the price$135−47.5%below the price$75.79
Growth Earnings−35.3%below the price$261−4.1%close to the price$138
Minimum−97.3%below the price$10.73−90.1%below the price$14.29
Maximum−13.4%close to the price$349−4.1%close to the price$138
Median−46.7%below the price$215−46.2%below the price$77.64
Geometric mean−62.7%below the price$151−50.6%below the price$71.32

Minimum, maximum, median and geometric mean refer to the family values in this table. Geometric because deviations are ratios: half the price and twice the price average to 100%, not 125%.

Amgen: 23 of 26 models see the stock below the current price.

Merck & Company: 22 of 26 models see the stock below the current price.

Scenario ranges

From our cautious bear scenario to the optimistic bull scenario. The white tick is the current price (value above it), the green tick the fair value (value below it): if the price sits left of the fair value, there is room to rise.

Amgen
Price $403
Fair Value $464
Bear $317Bull $603
Merck & Company
Price $144
Fair Value $129
Bear $74.31Bull $180

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Ranked within their sector

Where each stock sits within its sector peer group. Band = middle 50% of peers, tick = median, dot = this stock.

Amgen · Health Care

Quality score63 · Top 25%
Fair value upside+15.0% · above median

Merck & Company · Health Care

Quality score66 · Top 25%
Fair value upside−10.4% · above median

Bottom line

As of Oct 5, 2026, Fair Value Calculator sees Amgen as the more attractively valued of the two: Amgen trades at $403 versus a fair value of $464 (+15.0%), while Merck & Company trades at $144 versus $129 (−10.4%).

Merck & Company has the higher quality score (66/100).

Open Amgen live analysis →

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A model-based valuation snapshot from 26 models. Values change with price and fundamentals; the date shown above applies.