Merck & Co., Inc.
MRK55 yrs growthHealthcare · Stock · quarterly payer
$120.26
Add to PortfolioForward Yield
2.83%
Annual Dividend
$3.40
Payout Ratio
94%
5-Yr Growth
6.8%
Ex-Date
Jun 15, 2026
Frequency
Quarterly
MRK Dividend Safety Score
90/ 100
Grade A
Very Safe
Dividend-growth streak55 consecutive years of growth
Cut historyNever cut its dividend on record
Earnings payout coverage94% of earnings paid out
Free-cash-flow coverage60% of free cash flow
Balance-sheet strengthDebt/equity of 1.07
Yield vs its historyYield in line with its history
SmarterDividends' proprietary score, backtested against which dividends were actually cut over 15+ years (0.78 AUC). It blends a validated cut-risk model (growth streak, cut history) with current payout, cash-flow and debt. Higher is safer · not investment advice.
Dividend Growth
Total dividends per share by year
Is MRK a good dividend stock?
YesMerck & Co., Inc. (MRK) pays a quarterly dividend yielding 2.83% ($3.40/yr), with 55 years of growth and a dividend-safety grade of A. It scores well across payout coverage, growth history and safety — a dependable income holding.
Advantages
- Dividend King — 55 straight years of increases
- Never cut its dividend on record
- Strong 6.8% 5-yr dividend growth
- 56% total price return over 5 years
- Top-tier dividend safety score
Risks
- Elevated payout ratio (94%)
Key Data
- Dividend Yield
- 2.83%
- Payout Ratio
- 94%
- Annual Dividend
- $3.40
- 5-Yr Avg Growth
- 6.8%
- Ex-Dividend Date
- Jun 15, 2026
- Years of Growth
- 55
- Frequency
- quarterly
- Beta
- 0.22
- Market Cap
- $297.0B
- P/E Ratio
- 33.9
- 5-Yr Total Return
- 56%
- 52-Week Range
- $76.66 – $125.14
- Dividend Safety
- A · 90/100
- Ever Cut?
- No
Frequently Asked Questions
Dividend History
| Ex-Date | Pay Date | Amount | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | — | $0.8500 | regular |
| Dec 15, 2025 | — | $0.8500 | regular |
| Sep 15, 2025 | — | $0.8100 | regular |
| Jun 16, 2025 | — | $0.8100 | regular |
| Mar 17, 2025 | — | $0.8100 | regular |
| Dec 16, 2024 | — | $0.8100 | regular |
| Sep 16, 2024 | — | $0.7700 | regular |
| Jun 17, 2024 | — | $0.7700 | regular |
| Mar 14, 2024 | — | $0.7700 | regular |
| Dec 14, 2023 | — | $0.7700 | regular |
| Sep 14, 2023 | — | $0.7300 | regular |
| Jun 14, 2023 | — | $0.7300 | regular |
| Mar 14, 2023 | — | $0.7300 | regular |
| Dec 14, 2022 | — | $0.7300 | regular |
Income Calculator
At $3.40 / yr per share
Per payment (quarterly)$85.00
Annual$340.00
Monthly avg$28.33
