The earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
As of today (2026-07-05), the stock price of Merck KGaA is €29.20.
Merck KGaA's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was €1.17. Therefore, Merck KGaA's earnings yield of today is 3.99%.
The earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A better indicator of the attractiveness of an investment which takes growth into account is the Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) %. Merck KGaA's Forward Rate of Return (Yacktman) % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 5.04%. The Forward Rate of Return uses the normalized Free Cash Flow of the past five years, and considers growth. The forward rate of return can be thought of as the return that investors buying the stock today can expect from it in the future.
If the P/E ratio is an indication of how many years it takes for the company to earn back the stock price shareholders pay to buy the shares, the earnings yield is an indication of how much return shareholders' investment in the company earned over the past 12 months. The higher the earnings yield is, the better.
If a company loses money, the earnings yield is negative. This gives a more straightforward indication that the company is losing money. This is an advantage of using earnings yield instead of the P/E ratio in valuation. For valuation purposes, the P/B Ratio and the P/S Ratio should be used for companies that are losing money.
Like the P/E ratio, the earnings yield can be used to compare investments in different industries. It can even be used to compare the attractiveness of different asset classes such as bonds and cash. Of course, the earnings yield should not be the only factor in deciding which asset classes to invest.
Also similar to the P/E ratio, the earnings yield does not consider the growth of the business. A growing company with the same earnings yield should be more attractive than a company that has the same earnings yield but does not grow.
Just like the P/E Ratio, non-recurring items such as selling part of the business, selling a previous investment, etc., can affect earnings yield dramatically. The earning yield is also a poor indication for cyclical companies. When a cyclical stock has a high earnings yield it is usually at the peak of its cycle.
Merck KGaA's Earnings per Share (Diluted) for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was €1.166 Mil.
* 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.
It can also be calculated from the numbers for the whole company:
Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC) has a Earnings Yield % of 3.99% as of Jul. 05, 2026. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on Merck KGaA and its competitors.
Is Merck KGaA's Earnings Yield % too high?
Merck KGaA's current Earnings Yield % is 3.99%. Overall, Merck KGaA has a GF Score™ of 82/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Merck KGaA's Earnings Yield % compare to ZTS and UTHR?
Merck KGaA's Earnings Yield % of 3.99% can be compared against companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Earnings Yield % for a Drug Manufacturers company?
A good Earnings Yield % depends on the Drug Manufacturers industry context. However, Earnings Yield % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Earnings Yield % mean?
A high Earnings Yield % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Earnings Yield equals per-share earnings divided by share price. It is the inverse of the price-earnings ratio. View historical data on Merck KGaA and its competitors. Merck KGaA's current Earnings Yield % is 3.99%. 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?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €28.20, compared to a current price of €29.20 — trading 3.5% above its estimated fair value. The current Earnings Yield % is 3.99%. Merck KGaA's overall GF Score™ is 82/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Earnings Yield % calculated?
Earnings Yield % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC), the current Earnings Yield % is 3.99% as of Jul. 05, 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 (FRA:MRKC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Merck KGaA stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €29.20 is trading 3.5% above its estimated GF Value™ of €28.20.
GuruFocus considers Merck KGaA to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:MRKC:
Earnings Yield %: 3.99%
GF Value™: €28.20 vs. price of €29.20 (3.5% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the FRA:MRKC 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.
82GF Score
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Earnings Yield % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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