MRK vs. TECH: Merck vs. Bio-Techne Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but MRK is classified in Pharmaceuticals while TECH is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Company profile comparison for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Profile Item	MRK	TECH
Name	Merck & Co., Inc.	Bio-Techne Corp.
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Life Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Life Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization	361.73 billion USD	11.43 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	Nasdaq
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	February 9, 1989
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MRK

TECH

GSPC

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
Total Return (1Y)	76.14%	27.56%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	16.48%	9.11%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	15.77%	-9.91%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MRK

TECH

GSPC

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	30.24%	43.08%
Beta (5Y)	0.11	1.26
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-43.44%	-65.87%
Avg. Volume (3M)	10.24M	2.81M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

MRK and TECH are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	2.38	0.54
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	4.33	0.82

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Bio-Techne (TECH) at 8.33% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Merck (MRK) at 5.06% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for TECH.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.06%

Max: 109.18%
Q3: 6.23%
MRK: 5.06%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.33%

Max: 109.18%
TECH: 8.33%
Q3: 6.23%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Bio-Techne (TECH) at 14.00% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Merck (MRK) at 3.64%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.64%

Max: 18.05%
Q3: 4.78%
MRK: 3.64%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

14.00%

Max: 18.05%
TECH: 14.00%
Q3: 4.78%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Merck (MRK) at 35.22% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Bio-Techne (TECH) at 12.21%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

35.22%

Max: 83.12%
MRK: 35.22%
Q3: 14.77%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

12.21%

Max: 83.12%
Q3: 14.77%
TECH: 12.21%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
ROE (TTM)	5.06%	8.33%
ROA (TTM)	11.29%	6.38%
Net Margin (TTM)	3.64%	14.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)	35.22%	12.21%
Gross Margin (TTM)	75.20%	66.23%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Merck (MRK) at 1.31% and Bio-Techne (TECH) at -0.38% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Bio-Techne (TECH) at 152.17% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Merck (MRK) at 8.01% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for TECH.

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
Revenue Growth (YoY)	1.31%	-0.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	3.12%	2.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)	8.01%	152.17%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	8.43%	-12.97%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Merck (MRK) at 1.35 and Bio-Techne (TECH) at 2.28 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.35

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
Q1: 2.47
MRK: 1.35
Min: 0.10

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.28

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
Q1: 2.47
TECH: 2.28
Min: 0.10

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Bio-Techne (TECH) at 0.13 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Merck (MRK) at 1.20 uses more debt funding than most peers.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.20

Max: 1.42
MRK: 1.20
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.15
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.13

Max: 1.42
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.15
TECH: 0.13
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.35	2.28
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.20	0.13
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.50	-0.20

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Merck (MRK) at 2.29% and Bio-Techne (TECH) at 0.44% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.29%

MRK: 2.29%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.44%

TECH: 0.44%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Merck (MRK) reports payout ratio above 100% at 343.43%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Bio-Techne (TECH) reports 27.59%, ranking against industry peers normally.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

343.43%

MRK: 343.43%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

27.59%

TECH: 27.59%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.29%	0.44%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	343.43%	27.59%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on trailing earnings: Bio-Techne (TECH) at 62.74 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Merck (MRK) at 148.21 is richer still, above its industry range.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

148.21

MRK: 148.21
Max: 85.34
Q3: 43.46
Median: 26.69
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

62.74

Max: 85.34
TECH: 62.74
Q3: 43.46
Median: 26.69
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Merck (MRK) at 5.37 and Bio-Techne (TECH) at 9.31 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.37

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
Median: 7.30
MRK: 5.37
Q1: 3.01
Min: 0.01

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

9.31

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
TECH: 9.31
Median: 7.30
Q1: 3.01
Min: 0.01

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Bio-Techne (TECH) at 5.28 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Merck (MRK) at 8.06 carries an above-peer premium to book — MRK is pricier on assets.

MRK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.06

Max: 13.53
MRK: 8.06
Q3: 6.54
Median: 3.25
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

TECH

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.28

Max: 13.53
Q3: 6.54
TECH: 5.28
Median: 3.25
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

Merck (MRK) vs. Bio-Techne (TECH): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Merck (MRK) and Bio-Techne (TECH)
Metric	MRK	TECH
P/E Ratio (TTM)	148.21	62.74
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.37	9.31
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	8.06	5.28
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.88%	2.39%