Merck KGaAXSWX:MER +4.03%83 Quick Ratio is 1.00 as of Mar. 2026, which is 45% above its 10-year median of 0.69. 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 994 Drug Manufacturers companies, Merck KGaA ranks worse than 65.59% on this metric.
The quick ratio measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. It is calculated as a company's Total Current Assets excludes Total Inventories divides by its Total Current Liabilities. Merck KGaA's quick ratio for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 1.00.
Merck KGaA has a quick ratio of 1.00. It generally indicates good short-term financial strength.
The historical rank and industry rank for Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
XSWX:MER'
s Quick Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.48 Med: 0.69 Max: 1.08
Current: 1
During the past 13 years, Merck KGaA's highest Quick Ratio was 1.08. The lowest was 0.48. And the median was 0.69.
XSWX:MER's Quick Ratio is ranked worse than 65.59% of 994
companies
in the Drug Manufacturers industry
Industry Median: 1.45
vs XSWX:MER: 1.00
Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) Quick Ratio Explanation
The quick ratio is more conservative than the Current Ratio because it excludes inventories from current assets. The ratio derives its name presumably from the fact that assets such as cash and marketable securities are quick sources of cash. Inventories generally take time to be converted into cash, and if they have to be sold quickly, the company may have to accept a lower price than book value of these inventories. As a result, they are justifiably excluded from assets that are ready sources of immediate cash.
In general, low or decreasing quick ratios generally suggest that a company is over-leveraged, struggling to maintain or grow sales, paying bills too quickly or collecting receivables too slowly. On the other hand, a high or increasing quick ratio generally indicates that a company is experiencing solid top-line growth, quickly converting receivables into cash, and easily able to cover its financial obligations. Such companies often have faster inventory turnover and cash conversion cycles.
The higher the quick ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
Merck KGaA Quick Ratio Related Terms
Merck KGaA Quick Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Merck KGaA's Quick 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: Quick Ratio Comparison
For the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic subindustry, Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Quick 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 Quick Ratio vs Drug Manufacturers Industry
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio falls into.
The quick ratio measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. For this reason, the ratio excludes inventories from current assets.
Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* 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 Quick Ratio of 1.00 as of Mar. 2026. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on Merck KGaA and its competitors. This is 45% above median its historical median of 0.69. Over the past decade, Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.48 to 1.08. According to the industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #652 out of 994 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, placing it in the top 65.6%.
Is Merck KGaA's Quick Ratio too high?
Merck KGaA's current Quick Ratio of 1.00 is 45% above median its 10-year median of 0.69. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.48 to a high of 1.08. The Drug Manufacturers industry median Quick Ratio is 1.45. Merck KGaA's value of 1.00 is 31% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #652 out of 994 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 Quick Ratio compare to ZTS and UTHR?
According to the Drug Manufacturers industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #652 out of 994 companies for Quick Ratio. This places Merck KGaA in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Quick Ratio is 1.45. Merck KGaA's value of 1.00 is 31% below this benchmark. Historically, Merck KGaA's own Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.48 to 1.08 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.69 vs. the industry median of 1.45, 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 Quick Ratio for a Drug Manufacturers company?
The median Quick Ratio among Drug Manufacturers companies is 1.45, based on 994 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Quick Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Quick Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Merck KGaA's current Quick Ratio of 1.00 is 31% 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 Quick Ratio mean?
A high Quick Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on Merck KGaA and its competitors. For the Drug Manufacturers industry, the median Quick Ratio is 1.45 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Merck KGaA's current Quick Ratio is 1.00, which is 45% above median its own 10-year median of 0.69. 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 Quick Ratio of 1.00. 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 Quick Ratio is 1.00, which is 45% above median its 10-year median of 0.69 and 31% below the Drug Manufacturers industry median of 1.45. 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 Quick Ratio calculated?
Quick Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER), the current Quick Ratio is 1.00 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:
Quick Ratio: 1.00 (45% above median its 10-year median of 0.69)
GF Value™: CHF125.76 vs. price of CHF130.30 (3.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 31% below the Drug Manufacturers median (#652 of 994)
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
Get the complete analysis for XSWX:MER
Quick Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
XSWX:MER has been successfully added to your 
