Trailing Dividend / Share
$3.26
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Dividend History
Income profile from 1970 to 2026 with payout safety and yield-on-cost trend
Dividend Yield
2.9%
Payout Ratio
44.8%
Sustainable
Dividend Streak
15 years
MRK Dividend Income Check
Safety
44.8% payout ratio with sustainable safety profile.
Consistency
15 straight years of dividend increases.
Income Trend
Yield on cost is 4.2% and trend is rising.
MRK Dividend Scorecard
Yield & Income
Dividend Yield2.9%
Trailing DPS$3.26
FrequencyAnnual
Payments / 12M4
Payout Safety
Earnings Payout44.8%
Earnings SafetySustainable
FCF Payout65.2%
FCF SafetyAdequate
Piotroski F-Score4/9
Growth
Growth Streak15 years
3Y CAGR5.4%
5Y CAGR6.7%
Yield on Cost (5Y)4.2%
YOC Trendrising
Total Returns
Buyback Yield1.8%
Total Shareholder Yield4.7%
1Y Total Return40.6%
5Y Total Return73.0%
Div Contribution (5Y)20.2%
Estimated $10K growth (return + dividends):
5Y ago$17,29810Y ago$26,81920Y ago$46,784
Uses precomputed total return metrics from screening data (not lot-by-lot dividend reinvestment transactions). Different time windows can produce different outcomes depending on market regime and entry point.
MRK Income Growth Story
Dividend per share and yield on cost over time (57 years of payments)
MRK Dividend Safety Story
EPS is the container — dividend is what's drawn out
Dividend Analysis
Payout Safety
Merck & Co., Inc. distributes 44.8% of earnings as dividends (Sustainable). When measured against free cash flow—a stricter test—the payout ratio stands at 65.2%, rated "Adequate".
Piotroski F-Score: 4/9 — moderate financial health.
Growth Track Record
MRK has raised its dividend for 15 consecutive years, with a 3-year CAGR of 5.4% and 5-year CAGR of 6.7%.
Total Shareholder Returns
Beyond cash dividends, MRK returns capital through share repurchases. The combined picture: 2.9% dividend yield, 1.8% buyback yield, 4.7% total shareholder yield.
Income Trend & Total Return
Yield on cost (5-year basis) has reached 4.2% and is currently rising. The 5-year total return is 73.0%, with dividends contributing 20.2% of that performance.
DRIP Growth
A $10,000 investment made 10 years ago with dividends reinvested would have grown to approximately $26,819 today.
MRK Recent Dividend Payments
Last 20 payments · Annual
TTM Total$15.00
Avg/Payment$0.7500
| Ex-Date | Amount | Change | Yield % | Payment Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026Latest | $0.8500 | — | 2.88% | Apr 7, 2026 |
| Dec 15, 2025 | $0.8500 | ↑ +4.9% | 3.27% | Jan 8, 2026 |
| Sep 15, 2025 | $0.8100 | — | 4.00% | Oct 7, 2025 |
| Jun 16, 2025 | $0.8100 | — | 3.95% | Jul 8, 2025 |
| Mar 17, 2025 | $0.8100 | — | 3.33% | Apr 7, 2025 |
| Dec 16, 2024 | $0.8100 | ↑ +5.2% | 3.12% | Jan 8, 2025 |
| Sep 16, 2024 | $0.7700 | — | 2.61% | Oct 7, 2024 |
| Jun 17, 2024 | $0.7700 | — | 2.38% | Jul 8, 2024 |
MRK Dividend vs Peers
Comparable companies in the same industry
#5 yield in peer group
Div Yield
2.9%
#5 of 9
Safety
Sustainable
44.8% payout
Streak
15Y
6.7% 5Y CAGR
Total Shareholder
4.7%
#3 of 9
| Company | Mkt Cap | Yield | Payout | Streak | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRKMerck & Co., Inc. | $280.5B | 2.9% | 44.8% | 15 | Sustainable |
2nd  PFEPfizer Inc. | $150.8B | 6.5% | 1.3% | 15 | Sustainable |
 LLYEli Lilly and Compan… | $932.6B | 0.6% | 26.1% | 11 | Sustainable |
 ABBVAbbVie Inc. | $362.6B | 3.2% | 2.8% | 13 | Sustainable |
3rd  BMYBristol-Myers Squibb… | $115.4B | 4.4% | 71.5% | 6 | Watch |
 AMGNAmgen Inc. | $178.7B | 2.9% | 66.5% | 15 | Watch |
 JNJJohnson & Johnson | $541.3B | 2.2% | 84.1% | 36 | Watch |
 AZNAstraZeneca PLC | $286.7B | 1.8% | 49.6% | 4 | Sustainable |
1st  GSKGSK plc | $101.6B | 6.6% | 43.9% | 1 | Sustainable |
MRK Annual Dividend History (1970–2026)
57 years of dividend data
GrowthDecline
| Year | DPS | YoY | Pmts | EPS | Payout | Coverage | YOC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $0.85 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1.1% |
| 2025 | $3.28 | 5.1% | 4 | $7.28 | 45.1% | 2.22x | 4.2% |
| 2024 | $3.12 | 5.4% | 4 | $6.74 | 46.3% | 2.16x | 4.0% |
| 2023 | $2.96 | 5.7% | 4 | $0.14 | 2114.3% | 0.05x | 3.8% |
| 2022 | $2.80 | 7.3% | 4 | $5.71 | 49.0% | 2.04x | 3.6% |
| 2021 | $2.61 | 10.3% | 4 | $5.14 | 50.8% | 1.97x | 3.4% |
| 2020 | $2.37 | 9.7% | 4 | $2.78 | 85.1% | 1.17x | 3.1% |
| 2019 | $2.16 | 13.6% | 4 | $3.82 | 56.5% | 1.77x | 2.8% |
| 2018 | $1.90 | 5.3% | 4 | $2.32 | 81.8% | 1.22x | 2.5% |
| 2017 | $1.80 | 2.2% | 4 | $0.93 | 193.9% | 0.52x | 2.3% |
Full MRK Stock Analysis
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Should I Buy MRK Right Now?
Bull case, key risks, Wall St analyst verdict, and what council investors are saying — updated daily.
See MRK's True Return
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Start ComparisonMRK — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying MRK stock.
How much dividend does MRK pay per share?
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) pays a trailing 12-month dividend of $3.26 per share, with a current dividend yield of +2.9%. Payments are made Annual.
When is MRK's next ex-dividend date?
MRK's most recent ex-dividend date is N/A. You must own shares before the ex-dividend date to receive the next payment. MRK typically pays dividends Annual.
Is MRK's dividend safe?
MRK's dividend safety is rated "Sustainable" based on an earnings payout ratio of +44.8% and FCF payout ratio of +65.2%. With 15 consecutive years of dividend growth, the track record supports sustainability.
Is MRK a Dividend Achiever?
Yes, Merck & Co., Inc. is classified as a Dividend Achiever with 15 consecutive years of dividend increases. The 5-year dividend CAGR is +6.7%, demonstrating above-inflation dividend growth.
How often does MRK pay dividends?
Merck & Co., Inc. pays dividends Annual. The trailing 12-month total is $3.26 per share. Dividend data on this page covers 56+ years from 1970 to 2026.
How much would $10,000 invested in MRK grow with dividend reinvestment?
With dividends reinvested (DRIP), $10,000 invested in MRK five years ago would be worth approximately $17,298 today. This includes both price appreciation and compounded dividend reinvestment. Use the DRIP calculator above for other time periods.
What is MRK's yield on cost for long-term holders?
MRK's yield on cost — the current dividend divided by the original purchase price — is +4.2% for a 5-year holding period. This means long-term holders earn a higher effective yield than today's +2.9% market yield, thanks to consistent dividend growth.