Merck KGaAFRA:MRKC +5.07%81 ROA % is 5.04% as of Mar. 2026, which is 11% below its 10-year median of 5.69. GuruFocus rates FRA:MRKC with a GF Score™ of 81/100 and a GF Value™ of €27.99 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 9 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,006 Drug Manufacturers companies, Merck KGaA ranks better than 62.03% on this metric.
ROA % is calculated as Net Income divided by its average Total Assets over a certain period of time. Merck KGaA's annualizedNet Income for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €2,636 Mil.
Merck KGaA's average Total Assets over the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €52,299 Mil. Therefore, Merck KGaA's annualized ROA % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 5.04%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Merck KGaA's ROA % or its related term are showing as below:
FRA:MRKC'
s ROA % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.27 Med: 5.69 Max: 9.31
Current: 5.02
During the past 13 years, Merck KGaA's highest ROA % was 9.31%. The lowest was 3.27%. And the median was 5.69%.
FRA:MRKC's ROA % is ranked better than 62.03% of 1006
companies
in the Drug Manufacturers industry
Industry Median: 2.685
vs FRA:MRKC: 5.02
Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC) ROA % Explanation
ROA % measures the rate of return on the total assets (shareholder equity plus liabilities). It measures a firm's efficiency at generating profits from shareholders' equity plus its liabilities. ROA % shows how well a company uses what it has to generate earnings. ROA %s can vary drastically across industries. Therefore, ROA % should not be used to compare companies in different industries. For retailers, a ROA % of higher than 5% is expected. For example, Wal-Mart (WMT) has a ROA % of about 8% as of 2012. For banks, ROA % is close to their interest spread. A banks ROA % is typically well under 2%.
Similar to ROE, ROA % is affected by profit margins and asset turnover. This can be seen from the Du Pont Formula:
Note:
The Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data. The Revenue data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) revenue data.
* 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.
Be Aware
Like ROE, ROA % is calculated with only 12 months data. Fluctuations in the company's earnings or business cycles can affect the ratio drastically. It is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. ROA % can be affected by events such as stock buyback or issuance, and by goodwill, a company's tax rate and its interest payment. ROA % may not reflect the true earning power of the assets. A more accurate measurement is ROC % (ROC).
Many analysts argue the higher return the better. Buffett states that really high ROA % may indicate vulnerability in the durability of the competitive advantage.
E.g. Raising $43b to take on KO is impossible, but $1.7b to take on Moody's is. Although Moody's ROA % and underlying economics is far superior to Coca Cola, the durability is far weaker because of lower entry cost.
Merck KGaA ROA % Related Terms
Merck KGaA ROA % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Merck KGaA's ROA % 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.
For the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic subindustry, Merck KGaA's ROA %, along with its competitors' market caps and ROA % 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 ROA % vs Drug Manufacturers Industry
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Merck KGaA's ROA % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Merck KGaA's ROA % 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.
In the calculation of annual ROA %, the net income of the last fiscal year and the average total assets over the fiscal year are used. In calculating the quarterly data,
the Net Income data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) net income data.
ROA % is displayed in the 30-year financial page.
Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC) has a ROA % of 5.04% as of Mar. 2026. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Merck KGaA and its competitors. This is 11% below median its historical median of 5.69. Over the past decade, Merck KGaA's ROA % has ranged from 3.27 to 9.31. According to the industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #382 out of 1006 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, placing it in the top 38%.
Is Merck KGaA's ROA % too high?
Merck KGaA's current ROA % of 5.04% is 11% below median its 10-year median of 5.69. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.27 to a high of 9.31. The Drug Manufacturers industry median ROA % is 2.69. Merck KGaA's value of 5.04% is 87.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #382 out of 1006 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, which is above the industry midpoint. Overall, Merck KGaA has a GF Score™ of 81/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Merck KGaA's ROA % compare to ZTS and UTHR?
According to the Drug Manufacturers industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #382 out of 1006 companies for ROA %. This puts Merck KGaA in the upper half of its industry. The industry median ROA % is 2.69. Merck KGaA's value of 5.04% is 87.7% above this benchmark. Historically, Merck KGaA's own ROA % has ranged from 3.27 to 9.31 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 5.69 vs. the industry median of 2.69, Merck KGaA has consistently been above 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 ROA % for a Drug Manufacturers company?
The median ROA % among Drug Manufacturers companies is 2.69, based on 1,006 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROA % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROA % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Merck KGaA's current ROA % of 5.04% is 87.7% above 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 ROA % mean?
A high ROA % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Return on assets is the ratio of current-period net income to average two-period total assets. View historical data on Merck KGaA and its competitors. For the Drug Manufacturers industry, the median ROA % is 2.69 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Merck KGaA's current ROA % is 5.04%, which is 11% below median its own 10-year median of 5.69. 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?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €27.99, compared to a current price of €29.00 — trading 3.6% above its estimated fair value. The current ROA % is 5.04%, which is 11% below median its 10-year median of 5.69 and 87.7% above the Drug Manufacturers industry median of 2.69. Merck KGaA's overall GF Score™ is 81/100 with 9 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROA % calculated?
ROA % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Merck KGaA (FRA:MRKC), the current ROA % is 5.04% 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 (FRA:MRKC) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Merck KGaA stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €29.00 is trading 3.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of €27.99.
GuruFocus considers Merck KGaA to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for FRA:MRKC:
ROA %: 5.04% (11% below median its 10-year median of 5.69)
GF Value™: €27.99 vs. price of €29.00 (3.6% above fair value)
Industry Position: 87.7% above the Drug Manufacturers median (#382 of 1006)
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.
81GF Score
Get the complete analysis for FRA:MRKC
ROA % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
FRA:MRKC has been successfully added to your 
