Merck KGaAXSWX:MER +4.03%83 Current Ratio is 1.51 as of Mar. 2026, which is 41% above its 10-year median of 1.07. GuruFocus rates XSWX:MER with a GF Score™ of 83/100 and a GF Value™ of CHF125.76. The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 995 Drug Manufacturers companies, Merck KGaA ranks worse than 65.53% on this metric.
The current ratio is a liquidity ratio that measures a company's ability to pay short-term obligations. It is calculated as a company's Total Current Assets divides by its Total Current Liabilities. Merck KGaA's current ratio for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 1.51.
Merck KGaA has a current ratio of 1.51. It generally indicates good short-term financial strength.
The historical rank and industry rank for Merck KGaA's Current Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:MER'
s Current Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.76 Med: 1.07 Max: 1.56
Current: 1.51
During the past 13 years, Merck KGaA's highest Current Ratio was 1.56. The lowest was 0.76. And the median was 1.07.
XSWX:MER's Current Ratio is ranked worse than 65.53% of 995
companies
in the Drug Manufacturers industry
Industry Median: 2
vs XSWX:MER: 1.51
Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) Current Ratio Explanation
The current ratio can give a sense of the efficiency of a company's operating cycle or its ability to turn its product into cash. Companies that have trouble getting paid on their receivables or have long inventory turnover can run into liquidity problems because they are unable to alleviate their obligations. Because business operations differ in each industry, it is always more useful to compare companies within the same industry.
Acceptable current ratios vary from industry to industry and are generally between 1 and 3 for healthy businesses.
The higher the current ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its obligations. A ratio under 1 suggests that the company would be unable to pay off its obligations if they came due at that point. While this shows the company is not in good financial health, it does not necessarily mean that it will go bankrupt - as there are many ways to access financing - but it is definitely not a good sign.
If all other things were equal, a creditor, who is expecting to be paid in the next 12 months, would consider a high current ratio to be better than a low current ratio, because a high current ratio means that the company is more likely to meet its liabilities which fall due in the next 12 months.
Merck KGaA Current Ratio Related Terms
Merck KGaA Current Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Merck KGaA's Current Ratio can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
XSWX:MER vs ZTS, UTHR, VTRS: Current Ratio Comparison
For the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic subindustry, Merck KGaA's Current Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Current Ratio data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Merck KGaA Current Ratio vs Drug Manufacturers Industry
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Merck KGaA's Current Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Merck KGaA's Current Ratio falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) has a Current Ratio of 1.51 as of Mar. 2026. This is 41% above median its historical median of 1.07. Over the past decade, Merck KGaA's Current Ratio has ranged from 0.76 to 1.56. According to the industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #652 out of 995 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, placing it in the top 65.5%.
Is Merck KGaA's Current Ratio too high?
Merck KGaA's current Current Ratio of 1.51 is 41% above median its 10-year median of 1.07. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.76 to a high of 1.56. The Drug Manufacturers industry median Current Ratio is 2.00. Merck KGaA's value of 1.51 is 24.5% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #652 out of 995 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Merck KGaA has a GF Score™ of 83/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Merck KGaA's Current Ratio compare to ZTS and UTHR?
According to the Drug Manufacturers industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #652 out of 995 companies for Current Ratio. This places Merck KGaA in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Current Ratio is 2.00. Merck KGaA's value of 1.51 is 24.5% below this benchmark. Historically, Merck KGaA's own Current Ratio has ranged from 0.76 to 1.56 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 1.07 vs. the industry median of 2.00, Merck KGaA has consistently been below the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Current Ratio for a Drug Manufacturers company?
The median Current Ratio among Drug Manufacturers companies is 2.00, based on 995 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Current Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Current Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Merck KGaA's current Current Ratio of 1.51 is 24.5% below the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Current Ratio mean?
A high Current Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. For the Drug Manufacturers industry, the median Current Ratio is 2.00 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Merck KGaA's current Current Ratio is 1.51, which is 41% above median its own 10-year median of 1.07. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Merck KGaA stock overvalued right now?
Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) has a current Current Ratio of 1.51. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF125.76, compared to a current price of CHF130.30 — trading 3.6% above its estimated fair value. The current Current Ratio is 1.51, which is 41% above median its 10-year median of 1.07 and 24.5% below the Drug Manufacturers industry median of 2.00. Merck KGaA's overall GF Score™ is 83/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Current Ratio calculated?
Current Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER), the current Current Ratio is 1.51 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Merck KGaA stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of CHF130.30 is trading 3.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF125.76.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:MER:
Current Ratio: 1.51 (41% above median its 10-year median of 1.07)
GF Value™: CHF125.76 vs. price of CHF130.30 (3.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 24.5% below the Drug Manufacturers median (#652 of 995)
No single metric tells the full story. See the XSWX:MER stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Merck KGaA operates in three main segments: Life Science, Electronics, and Healthcare. The Life Science segment provides laboratory consumables and instruments to researchers in academia and applied fields, including the biopharmaceutical industry. The Electronics segment offers specialty materials to manufacture a variety of products, such as semiconductors and flat-screen televisions. In the healthcare segment, Merck develops, manufactures, and sells branded pharmaceuticals with significant therapeutic concentrations in oncology, multiple sclerosis, and fertility. In 1995, the E. Merck KG family publicly sold part of the company, resulting in the current 30% public ownership of the firm.
83GF Score
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