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Shares Outstanding (EOP) are shares that have been authorized, issued, and purchased by investors and are held by them.
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. A positive ratio may indicate share buybacks over the period, while a zero or negative ratio may reflect no repurchases or potential share issuance. Merck KGaA's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 0.00%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Merck KGaA's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
During the past 13 years, Merck KGaA's highest 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio was 0.00%. The lowest was -3.90%. And the median was 0.00%.
XSWX:MER's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is not ranked *
in the Drug Manufacturers industry.
Industry Median: -2 * Ranked among companies with meaningful 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio only.
Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Explanation
A negative number means the company might be issuing new shares. A positive number indicates that the company is buying back shares.
Be Aware
Investors usually like share buybacks. But as pointed by Warren Buffett, only if a company buys back shares at the prices below the stock's intrinsic value, it rewards remaining shareholders. If a company buys its overvalued stocks back, it destroys shareholder value.
Merck KGaA 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Related Terms
XSWX:MER vs ZTS, UTHR, VTRS: 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio Comparison
For the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic subindustry, Merck KGaA's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year Share Buyback 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio vs Drug Manufacturers Industry
For the Drug Manufacturers industry and Healthcare sector, Merck KGaA's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Merck KGaA's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio falls into.
This is the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. The annualized percentage change is calculated with expontential compound based on the latest four years of annual data on Shares Outstanding (EOP).
Please click Growth Rate Calculation Example (GuruFocus) to see how GuruFocus calculates Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT)'s revenue growth rate. You can apply the same method to get the average dividends per share growth rate.
What does a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.00 mean?
Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER) has a 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.00 as of Mar. 2026. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Merck KGaA and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #999999 out of 647 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry.
Is Merck KGaA's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio too high?
Merck KGaA's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00. Based on the distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #999999 out of 647 companies in the Drug Manufacturers industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Merck KGaA has a GF Score™ of 84/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Merck KGaA's 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio compare to ZTS and UTHR?
According to the Drug Manufacturers industry distribution chart, Merck KGaA ranks #999999 out of 647 companies for 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio. This places Merck KGaA in the lower half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio for a Drug Manufacturers company?
A good 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio depends on the Drug Manufacturers industry context. However, 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio mean?
A high 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. The 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio measures the average annual proportion of a company's outstanding shares repurchased over the past three years. It is calculated as the annualized percentage change in shares outstanding from three years ago to the current year. View historical data for Merck KGaA and its competitors. Merck KGaA's current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00. 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 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio of 0.00. The stock's GF Value™ is CHF129.05, compared to a current price of CHF131.80 — trading 2.1% above its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00. Merck KGaA's overall GF Score™ is 84/100 with 10 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio calculated?
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Merck KGaA (XSWX:MER), the current 3-Year Share Buyback Ratio is 0.00 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 CHF131.80 is trading 2.1% above its estimated GF Value™ of CHF129.05.
Key valuation signals for XSWX:MER:
3-Year Share Buyback Ratio: 0.00
GF Value™: CHF129.05 vs. price of CHF131.80 (2.1% above fair value)
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.
84GF Score
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