Merck (MRK) Research & Development (2009 - 2026)

Merck (MRK) reported Research & Development of $12.6 billion for Q1 2026, up 247.75% year-over-year from $3.6 billion in Q1 2025, and up 8294.67% quarter-over-quarter from $150.0 million in Q4 2025.

Merck (MRK) Research & Development (2009 - 2026) Analysis & Trends

Merck (MRK) has 18 years of Research & Development data on file, last reported at $12.6 billion in Q1 2026.

  • Research & Development for Q1 2026 came in at $12.6 billion, up 247.75% year-over-year; the trailing twelve-month figure through Mar 2026 was $21.0 billion (up 19.68% YoY), and the FY2025 annual result was $15.8 billion, down 11.98% from the prior year.
  • Research & Development improved to $12.6 billion in Q1 2026 per MRK's latest filing, from $150.0 million in the prior quarter.
  • Over five years, Research & Development peaked at $13.3 billion in Q2 2023 and troughed at $150.0 million in Q4 2025.
  • A 5-year average of $4.9 billion and a median of $4.0 billion in 2025 frame the typical range for Research & Development.
  • The sharpest annual moves came in 2023 and 2025: Research & Development jumped 376.09% in 2023, then plunged 96.73% in 2025.
  • A 5-year view of Research & Development shows it stood at $3.8 billion in 2022, then soared by 45.7% to $5.5 billion in 2023, then fell by 16.65% to $4.6 billion in 2024, then sank by 96.73% to $150.0 million in 2025, then soared by 8294.67% to $12.6 billion in 2026.
  • Business Quant data shows MRK's Research & Development at $12.6 billion in Q1 2026, $150.0 million in Q4 2025, and $4.2 billion in Q3 2025.

Peer Comparison

# Company Market Cap Enterprise Value Gross Profit (Qtr) R&D (Qtr)
1 Gsk 92,316,836.42 Bn 92,316,831.46 Bn 7.76 Bn -2.28 Bn
2 Eli Lilly 983.57 Bn 978.29 Bn 16.22 Bn 3.51 Bn
3 Johnson & Johnson 553.56 Bn 531.50 Bn 15.96 Bn 3.53 Bn
4 AbbVie 383.35 Bn 374.00 Bn 10.78 Bn 2.47 Bn
5 Merck 281.71 Bn 276.06 Bn 12.09 Bn 12.59 Bn
6 Amgen 182.20 Bn 170.16 Bn 5.87 Bn 1.72 Bn
7 Gilead Sciences 153.71 Bn 145.98 Bn 5.52 Bn 1.37 Bn
8 Pfizer 143.75 Bn 130.98 Bn -1.21 Bn 2.49 Bn
9 Bristol Myers Squibb 109.71 Bn 99.25 Bn 8.07 Bn 2.65 Bn
10 Novartis Ag 108.28 Bn 107.60 Bn - -

Historic Data

Download Data
DateValue
Mar 31, 2026 12.59 Bn
Dec 31, 2025 150.00 Mn
Sep 30, 2025 4.23 Bn
Jun 30, 2025 4.05 Bn
Mar 31, 2025 3.62 Bn
Dec 31, 2024 4.58 Bn
Sep 30, 2024 5.86 Bn
Jun 30, 2024 3.50 Bn
Mar 31, 2024 3.99 Bn
Dec 31, 2023 5.50 Bn
Sep 30, 2023 3.31 Bn
Jun 30, 2023 13.32 Bn
Mar 31, 2023 4.28 Bn
Dec 31, 2022 3.78 Bn
Sep 30, 2022 4.40 Bn
Jun 30, 2022 2.80 Bn
Mar 31, 2022 2.58 Bn
Dec 31, 2021 3.07 Bn
Sep 30, 2021 2.45 Bn
Jun 30, 2021 4.32 Bn