COR vs. MRK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at COR and MRK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | COR | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Cencora, Inc. | Merck & Co., Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 56.43 billion USD | 206.59 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 4, 1995 | January 2, 1962 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of COR 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | COR | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 4.54% | 2.91% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 4.55% | 2.83% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 18.25% | -6.06% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 22.40% | -27.11% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.73% | 5.88% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 29.54% | -16.86% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.53M | 11.29M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.55M | 15.38M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.92% | 29.65% |
| Beta | 0.63 | 0.37 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
COR
196.32%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.26%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -3.62%
COR’s Return on Equity of 196.32% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
MRK
34.88%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
In the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, MRK’s Return on Equity of 34.88% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
COR
0.60%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 5.93%
- Median
- 1.96%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -6.10%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, COR’s Net Profit Margin of 0.60% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
MRK
25.79%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
A Net Profit Margin of 25.79% places MRK in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
COR
0.85%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.05%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 1.98%
- Min
- -4.27%
COR’s Operating Profit Margin of 0.85% is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
MRK
30.00%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 30.00% places MRK in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals 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 | COR | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 196.32% | 34.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 2.70% | 14.04% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 0.60% | 25.79% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 0.85% | 30.00% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 3.40% | 78.32% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
COR
0.90
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.49
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.17
COR’s Current Ratio of 0.90 falls into the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
MRK
1.42
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
MRK’s Current Ratio of 1.42 aligns with the median group of the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
COR
4.16
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 4.16, COR operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Health Care Providers & Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
MRK
0.72
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
MRK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.72 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals 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 (TTM)
COR
13.67
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.15
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
COR’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 13.67 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
MRK
19.65
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
MRK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 19.65 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | COR | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.90 | 1.42 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.52 | 1.17 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 4.16 | 0.72 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 13.67 | 19.65 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
COR
0.77%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.38%
- Q3
- 2.22%
- Median
- 0.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
COR’s Dividend Yield of 0.77% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
MRK
3.97%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 3.97%, MRK offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
COR
22.69%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 186.69%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 26.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
COR’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 22.69% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
MRK
48.95%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
MRK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 48.95% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | COR | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.77% | 3.97% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 22.69% | 48.95% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
COR
29.60
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 55.89
- Q3
- 30.85
- Median
- 21.17
- Q1
- 12.63
- Min
- 0.00
COR’s P/E Ratio of 29.60 is within the middle range for the Health Care Providers & Services 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
12.32
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, MRK’s P/E Ratio of 12.32 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
COR
0.18
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, COR’s P/S Ratio of 0.18 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
MRK
3.18
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
MRK’s P/S Ratio of 3.18 aligns with the market consensus for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
COR
29.35
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.61
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.77
At 29.35, COR’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
MRK
4.06
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
MRK’s P/B Ratio of 4.06 is within the conventional range for the Pharmaceuticals 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | COR | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 29.60 | 12.32 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.18 | 3.18 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 29.35 | 4.06 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 8.78 | 13.73 |