JNJ vs MRK
Johnson & Johnson and Merck & Co., both Healthcare
Johnson & Johnson is the larger company at $550B against $281B. On trailing earnings JNJ is the cheaper of the two at a P/E of 31.2 against 117.8, a gap that is only a bargain if the two are growing at similar rates. Over the past year MRK returned +82% against +56% for JNJ.
| Figure | JNJ | MRK |
|---|---|---|
| Last close | $269 | $148 |
| Market cap | $550B | $281B |
| Trailing P/Elower is cheaper for the same earnings, not automatically better | 31.2 | 117.8 |
| Dividend yield | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| 1-year return | +56% | +82% |
| 5-year return | +78% | +131% |
| Ryufin Smart Scoresector-relative, 1–10 | 8/10 | 8/10 |
Figures from SEC filings and end-of-day closes. Highlighting marks the higher or lower number, which is not the same as the better investment, a low P/E can be a warning and a high one can be deserved.
Johnson & Johnson
Revenue of $25B in Q2 2026, net income $5.5B. Its largest reported line is DARZALEX, 19% of the disclosed total.
Merck & Co.
Revenue of $17B in Q2 2026, net income null. Its largest reported line is Keytruda, 49% of the disclosed total.
Open these two in the interactive comparison to add more names, change the period or see the correlation.