ALGN vs. MRK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
UpdatedHere’s a clear look at ALGN and MRK, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.
Company Overview
MRK stands out with 193.30 billion USD in market value—about 15.51× ALGN’s market cap of 12.46 billion USD.
ALGN’s beta of 1.68 points to much larger expected swings compared to MRK’s calmer 0.44, suggesting both higher upside and downside potential.
| Symbol | ALGN | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Align Technology, Inc. | Merck & Co., Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Medical - Devices | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Mr. Joseph M. Hogan | Mr. Robert M. Davis J.D. |
| Price | 171.91 USD | 76.98 USD |
| Market Cap | 12.46 billion USD | 193.30 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.68 | 0.44 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 30, 2001 | January 13, 1978 |
| ADR | No | No |
Performance Comparison
This chart compares the performance of ALGN and MRK over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).
Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Valuation Metrics Comparison
For a detailed comparison of valuation metrics between ALGN and MRK, please refer to the table below.
| Symbol | ALGN | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 30.88 | 11.18 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.92 | 4.93 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.13 | 3.02 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 3.33 | 4.03 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 19.76 | 11.34 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 14.56 | 8.04 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 2.94 | 3.43 |
| EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM) | 18.56 | 12.88 |
Dividend Comparison
ALGN offers a 0% dividend yield, suggesting it may be reinvesting available cash back into the business for future growth, while MRK provides a 4.10% dividend yield, giving investors a steady income stream.
| Symbol | ALGN | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 4.10% |
Financial Strength Metrics Comparison
This section dives into the financial resilience of ALGN and MRK, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.
- ALGN shows “--” (minimal interest expense), but MRK is in the red with interest coverage -75.48, signaling a net operating loss.
| Symbol | ALGN | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.21 | 1.41 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.08 | 1.16 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 0.72 |
| Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM) | 0.02 | 0.30 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -- | -75.48 |