Merck & Co. (MRK)
S&P 500 · Top 100 by market cap · Health Care · data since 1962-01-02 · last close 2026-09-09
Merck & Co. (MRK) monthly returns (%)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.8 | 12.3 | -2.1 | -9.2 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 1.3 | 13.5 | -0.2 | · | · | · |
| 2025 | -0.7 | -6.7 | -1.9 | -5.1 | -9.8 | 4.0 | -1.3 | 7.7 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 21.9 | 1.3 |
| 2024 | 10.8 | 5.3 | 4.4 | -2.1 | -2.9 | -0.8 | -8.6 | 4.7 | -3.5 | -9.9 | -0.7 | -1.3 |
| 2023 | -3.2 | -1.1 | 0.8 | 8.5 | -4.4 | 5.2 | -7.6 | 2.2 | -4.9 | -0.2 | -0.2 | 7.2 |
| 2022 | 6.3 | -6.0 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 3.8 | -0.1 | -2.0 | -4.5 | 1.7 | 17.5 | 8.8 | 1.4 |
| 2021 | -5.8 | -5.8 | 7.1 | -3.4 | 1.9 | 8.3 | -1.2 | -0.8 | -0.7 | 17.2 | -14.9 | 3.3 |
| 2020 | -6.1 | -10.4 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 1.7 | -3.4 | 3.8 | 6.3 | -2.0 | -9.3 | 6.9 | 2.6 |
| 2019 | -2.6 | 9.2 | 3.0 | -5.4 | 0.6 | 6.6 | -1.0 | 4.2 | -2.0 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 5.0 |
| 2018 | 5.3 | -8.5 | 1.3 | 8.1 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 8.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 7.8 | -3.0 |
| 2017 | 5.3 | 6.3 | -2.8 | -1.9 | 4.5 | -0.8 | -0.3 | -0.0 | 1.0 | -14.0 | 0.3 | 2.7 |
| 2016 | -4.1 | -0.9 | 6.3 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 7.0 | 0.1 | -5.9 | 4.2 | -3.0 |
| 2015 | 6.2 | -2.9 | -1.0 | 3.6 | 2.2 | -5.8 | 3.6 | -8.7 | -7.5 | 10.7 | -3.0 | 0.5 |
| 2014 | 5.8 | 7.6 | 0.4 | 3.1 | -1.2 | 0.7 | -1.9 | 5.9 | -0.7 | -2.3 | 4.3 | -5.3 |
| 2013 | 5.6 | -1.2 | 4.4 | 6.3 | -0.6 | 0.4 | 3.7 | -1.8 | 1.6 | -5.3 | 10.5 | 1.4 |
| 2012 | 1.5 | -0.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | -4.2 | 12.3 | 5.8 | -2.5 | 5.8 | 1.2 | -2.9 | -6.7 |
| 2011 | -8.0 | -1.8 | 2.5 | 8.9 | 2.2 | -2.9 | -3.3 | -3.0 | -0.0 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 6.7 |
| 2010 | 4.5 | -3.4 | 2.3 | -6.2 | -3.9 | 5.0 | -1.5 | 2.0 | 5.8 | -1.4 | -5.1 | 5.7 |
| 2009 | -6.1 | -15.2 | 12.4 | -9.4 | 13.8 | 2.8 | 7.3 | 8.1 | -1.3 | -2.2 | 17.1 | 1.9 |
| 2008 | -20.7 | -3.9 | -13.6 | 0.2 | 2.4 | -2.3 | -12.7 | 8.4 | -10.6 | -1.9 | -13.7 | 15.4 |
| 2007 | 2.6 | -1.3 | 0.9 | 16.5 | 2.0 | -4.3 | -0.3 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 12.7 | 1.9 | -1.5 |
| 2006 | 8.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | -2.3 | -2.2 | 9.4 | 10.5 | 1.6 | 3.3 | 8.4 | -2.0 | -1.2 |
| 2005 | -12.7 | 13.0 | 3.3 | 4.7 | -4.3 | -3.9 | 0.8 | -7.9 | -3.6 | 3.7 | 5.5 | 8.2 |
| 2004 | 3.0 | 1.0 | -7.4 | 6.4 | 0.6 | 1.2 | -4.5 | -0.8 | -26.0 | -5.1 | -10.5 | 16.3 |
| 2003 | -2.2 | -4.8 | 4.6 | 6.2 | -4.5 | 9.6 | -8.7 | -3.8 | 1.3 | -12.6 | -8.3 | 14.8 |
| 2002 | 0.7 | 3.6 | -5.6 | -5.6 | 5.1 | -10.7 | -2.0 | 1.9 | -8.8 | 18.7 | 9.5 | -4.1 |
| 2001 | -12.2 | -2.4 | -4.9 | 0.1 | -3.5 | -12.4 | 6.4 | -3.7 | 2.3 | -4.2 | 6.2 | -12.8 |
| 2000 | 17.0 | -21.7 | 1.4 | 11.9 | 7.8 | 2.7 | -6.5 | -2.0 | 6.5 | 20.8 | 3.1 | 1.4 |
| 1999 | -0.5 | 11.1 | -1.4 | -12.2 | -3.9 | 9.3 | -8.2 | -0.7 | -3.1 | 22.8 | -1.1 | -14.3 |
| 1998 | 10.7 | 8.7 | 0.8 | -6.0 | -2.9 | 14.8 | -7.6 | -6.2 | 12.3 | 4.3 | 14.8 | -4.6 |
| 1997 | 13.8 | 1.7 | -8.1 | 7.3 | -0.6 | 14.4 | 1.5 | -11.6 | 9.4 | -10.7 | 6.3 | 12.3 |
| 1996 | 6.9 | -5.5 | -5.6 | -2.8 | 6.8 | 0.5 | -0.6 | 2.1 | 7.9 | 5.0 | 12.3 | -3.6 |
| 1995 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 9.6 | 5.2 | 5.1 | -3.4 | 13.1 | 2.7 | 7.6 | 6.6 |
| 1994 | 6.2 | -11.3 | -7.3 | -0.4 | 3.0 | -1.6 | -0.4 | 15.2 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 4.6 | 3.2 |
| 1993 | -6.9 | -4.6 | -7.5 | 4.6 | 3.4 | -6.6 | -13.7 | 4.1 | -2.7 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1.2 |
| 1992 | -5.6 | 0.3 | -6.3 | -1.4 | 4.2 | -2.8 | 6.4 | -5.8 | -8.5 | -1.4 | 2.9 | -3.4 |
| 1991 | 1.8 | 11.6 | 3.9 | 2.1 | 10.3 | -1.9 | 10.9 | -1.0 | 2.6 | 5.5 | 6.7 | 14.2 |
| 1990 | -6.8 | -5.4 | 2.3 | 5.4 | 13.6 | 4.8 | 2.7 | -7.8 | -6.7 | 1.0 | 12.2 | 4.9 |
| 1989 | 13.0 | -2.1 | 2.4 | 5.0 | 2.2 | -3.6 | 13.6 | -2.9 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 1.3 | -1.2 |
| 1988 | -4.9 | 10.4 | -5.1 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 6.0 | -0.7 | -1.3 | 5.2 | -0.9 | -0.6 | 2.2 |
| 1987 | 11.0 | 12.2 | 0.6 | -4.6 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 11.0 | 8.4 | 1.2 | -12.3 | -6.3 | -6.3 |
| 1986 | 0.5 | 10.1 | 15.7 | -0.4 | 11.2 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 8.6 | -14.4 | 10.3 | 1.7 | 12.7 |
| 1985 | 2.1 | 4.9 | 5.0 | -3.0 | 6.0 | 5.2 | 0.2 | 1.8 | -5.2 | 7.6 | 11.6 | 6.1 |
| 1984 | -2.2 | 6.5 | 0.8 | -2.3 | -6.4 | 8.3 | -10.1 | 1.8 | -1.5 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 6.9 |
| 1983 | 1.3 | -1.5 | 1.3 | 11.3 | -8.3 | 8.0 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 0.1 | -0.8 | 2.9 | -7.5 |
| 1982 | -0.1 | -7.1 | -7.4 | 6.1 | -5.2 | -6.0 | 3.5 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.3 |
| 1981 | -2.4 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 7.5 | 10.4 | -7.4 | -0.3 | -8.2 | 1.0 | -5.9 | 7.2 | -0.2 |
| 1980 | -5.2 | -6.6 | 6.5 | 0.6 | 5.3 | -0.3 | 9.2 | -1.2 | 5.3 | -6.3 | 6.3 | 7.5 |
| 1979 | 0.6 | -4.0 | 1.9 | 3.8 | -7.7 | 7.6 | -1.9 | 5.6 | -1.1 | -3.8 | 9.4 | 0.6 |
| 1978 | -1.1 | -4.1 | -6.8 | 14.9 | 5.0 | -4.7 | 8.8 | 1.3 | -1.2 | -6.3 | 6.2 | 14.1 |
| 1977 | -15.1 | -3.0 | -1.1 | -7.0 | -0.5 | 10.1 | -4.3 | 10.8 | -0.4 | -7.7 | 4.9 | -1.3 |
| 1976 | 4.7 | -6.9 | 10.9 | -3.2 | -3.0 | 3.4 | -2.8 | 4.8 | 7.4 | -3.8 | -14.6 | 6.5 |
| 1975 | -4.3 | 18.1 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 3.2 | -11.6 | -6.0 | -3.0 | 9.9 | 5.5 | -11.9 |
| 1974 | -3.3 | 0.5 | 3.5 | -0.6 | -1.7 | -0.2 | -14.7 | -4.7 | -20.9 | 31.3 | 3.8 | -3.1 |
| 1973 | 5.5 | -1.6 | 3.7 | -7.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 3.5 | -12.2 | 0.6 | 5.0 | -1.2 | -4.6 |
| 1972 | 4.8 | 2.7 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 6.7 | 8.7 | -3.3 | 0.3 | 4.3 | -0.7 | 5.4 |
| 1971 | -3.8 | 1.1 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 0.2 | -1.5 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 5.7 |
| 1970 | -10.6 | 7.9 | -6.4 | -7.6 | -10.9 | 4.3 | -7.0 | -1.2 | 11.3 | -1.1 | 1.1 | 12.6 |
| 1969 | 3.3 | -10.2 | 5.1 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 0.4 | -1.9 | 5.6 | -0.7 | 10.7 | 1.9 | 6.3 |
| 1968 | -7.0 | -1.3 | 2.1 | 10.5 | 1.7 | -0.1 | -2.4 | 3.5 | -5.1 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 0.2 |
| 1967 | -0.7 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | -9.1 | 7.0 | 7.6 | -0.3 | -0.7 | -4.9 | 3.8 | -1.1 |
| 1966 | 0.2 | 3.7 | 5.9 | -2.6 | -1.8 | 5.2 | -3.5 | -7.5 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 8.3 | -2.9 |
| 1965 | 4.3 | -0.2 | 1.0 | 9.4 | -3.5 | -0.2 | 3.7 | 8.9 | 0.2 | 13.7 | -1.6 | 3.7 |
| 1964 | 3.9 | 3.7 | -0.9 | -3.3 | -6.4 | 6.6 | 11.1 | -2.1 | 6.9 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 6.7 |
| 1963 | 10.8 | -6.4 | 3.8 | 8.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 5.8 | 13.1 | -9.0 | 7.9 | -2.5 | 7.2 |
| 1962 | -7.3 | 7.5 | 6.1 | -10.5 | -12.4 | -11.5 | 14.8 | -15.2 | 3.6 | 6.0 | 13.4 | -0.2 |
| Avg | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.8 | -0.1 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.2 |
Values in %. Current and first-listed months are partial (greyed).
returnsview.com
MRK seasonality — average by calendar month
Merck & Co. has monthly history back to 1962. Its strongest month by median is November — positive in 46 of 64 years, median +3.7%, and higher in 6 of the last 9. February is the soft spot, down in 35 of 65 with a median of -0.9%. Across its full record it has closed 58% of months higher, swings ±6.8% in an average month and has fallen 68.6% peak to trough.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg | +0.4% | +0.2% | +1.0% | +1.4% | +0.8% | +2.1% | +0.5% | +0.8% | -0.1% | +2.5% | +3.2% | +2.2% |
| Win rate | 54%/65 | 46%/65 | 69%/65 | 58%/65 | 58%/65 | 62%/65 | 49%/65 | 51%/65 | 55%/64 | 58%/64 | 72%/64 | 62%/64 |
Win rate = share of positive months / sample size.
MRK risk & extremes
MRK drawdown & rolling returns
Percent below the all-time high at each month-end — how far underwater the asset was.
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Frequently asked questions
What was Merck & Co.'s best month?+
Merck & Co.'s strongest completed month on record is October 1974, at +31.34%.
What was Merck & Co.'s worst month?+
Its weakest completed month on record is September 2004, at -25.99%.
Is Merck & Co. up this year?+
Merck & Co. is up 42.21% year to date, measured from its last close before 1 January.
What is Merck & Co.'s 1-year return?+
+80.19% over the past twelve months, comparing the latest close with the most recent close on or before the same date a year earlier.
What is Merck & Co.'s biggest drawdown?+
The deepest peak-to-trough fall on record is 68.6%, measured on month-end closes since 1962.
Which calendar month is historically best for Merck & Co.?+
November has the highest average return across every completed November since 1962. An average is not a forecast.
About Merck & Co.
Merck & Co. is an S&P 500 company, a health care business worth about $364 billion. It turns lab coats into cash flows — with price receipts on this site going back to 1962. And the long game: $100 at its first close here (1962) would be about $251,913 today.
Did you know?
- Its best month on record was October 1974 at +31.34%; its worst, September 2004 at -25.99%.
- It has closed November in the green 46 out of 64 times — not a promise, just a suspicious habit.
Trivia for entertainment — the numbers come from our price data; the jokes don't.