ALC vs. MRK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ALC and MRK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
MRK’s market capitalization of 203.22 billion USD is significantly greater than ALC’s 43.42 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
ALC’s beta of 0.70 points to significantly higher volatility compared to MRK (beta: 0.40), suggesting ALC has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | ALC | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alcon Inc. | Merck & Co., Inc. |
| Country | CH | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Medical - Instruments & Supplies | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | David J. Endicott | Robert M. Davis |
| Price | 87.78 USD | 80.93 USD |
| Market Cap | 43.42 billion USD | 203.22 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.70 | 0.40 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | April 9, 2019 | January 13, 1978 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ALC and MRK by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ALC
6.95%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 26.65%
- Q3
- 13.00%
- Median
- 1.08%
- Q1
- -8.11%
- Min
- -38.20%
ALC’s Return on Equity of 6.95% is on par with the norm for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
MRK
38.16%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
MRK’s Return on Equity of 38.16% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ALC
4.39%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 20.14%
- Q3
- 7.36%
- Median
- 1.97%
- Q1
- -6.22%
- Min
- -20.00%
ALC’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.39% is in line with the norm for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
MRK
21.67%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
In the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, MRK’s Return on Invested Capital of 21.67% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
ALC
11.27%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 28.95%
- Q3
- 11.24%
- Median
- -2.83%
- Q1
- -12.85%
- Min
- -26.41%
A Net Profit Margin of 11.27% places ALC in the upper quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
MRK
27.27%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
A Net Profit Margin of 27.27% places MRK in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
ALC
15.22%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 32.10%
- Q3
- 16.03%
- Median
- 2.28%
- Q1
- -7.96%
- Min
- -26.84%
ALC’s Operating Profit Margin of 15.22% is around the midpoint for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
MRK
35.78%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
An Operating Profit Margin of 35.78% places MRK in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 6.95% | 38.16% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.61% | 15.14% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 4.39% | 21.67% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.27% | 27.27% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 15.22% | 35.78% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 55.55% | 80.96% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ALC
2.70
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.79
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.81
- Min
- 1.10
ALC’s Current Ratio of 2.70 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
MRK
1.41
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
MRK’s Current Ratio of 1.41 is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ALC
0.24
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.46
- Q3
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.03
ALC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.24 is typical for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
MRK
0.72
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
MRK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.72 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ALC
7.72
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 25.04
- Q3
- 8.80
- Median
- 3.66
- Q1
- -3.85
- Min
- -11.93
ALC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.72 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
MRK
-75.48
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
MRK has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -75.48. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.70 | 1.41 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.66 | 1.16 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.24 | 0.72 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.17 | 0.30 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.54 | 0.96 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.72 | -75.48 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ALC and MRK. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ALC
0.38%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.02%
- Q3
- 0.38%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.38%, ALC offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
MRK
3.95%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
MRK’s Dividend Yield of 3.95% is consistent with its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ALC
11.23%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 76.77%
- Q3
- 11.37%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ALC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 11.23% is within the typical range for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
MRK
45.54%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
MRK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 45.54% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.38% | 3.95% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 11.23% | 45.54% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ALC
38.80
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 45.65
- Q3
- 44.10
- Median
- 35.47
- Q1
- 29.60
- Min
- 21.65
ALC’s P/E Ratio of 38.80 is within the middle range for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
MRK
11.75
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
In the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, MRK’s P/E Ratio of 11.75 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ALC
2.54
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 5.80
- Q3
- 3.68
- Median
- 2.56
- Q1
- 1.87
- Min
- 0.22
ALC’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.54 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
MRK
5.14
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
MRK’s Forward PEG Ratio of 5.14 is exceptionally high for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ALC
4.37
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 12.87
- Q3
- 6.95
- Median
- 3.45
- Q1
- 2.24
- Min
- 0.71
ALC’s P/S Ratio of 4.37 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
MRK
3.18
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
MRK’s P/S Ratio of 3.18 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ALC
1.98
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.60
- Q3
- 5.48
- Median
- 3.37
- Q1
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.65
ALC’s P/B Ratio of 1.98 is within the conventional range for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
MRK
4.24
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ALC | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 38.80 | 11.75 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.54 | 5.14 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 4.37 | 3.18 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 1.98 | 4.24 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 25.24 | 11.93 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 19.18 | 8.40 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4.75 | 3.59 |