How to buy Merck & Co. shares

Merck & Co. shares have fallen -0.37% from yesterday's closing price ($106.34). Learn how to easily invest in Merck & Co. shares in the UK.

Merck & Company Inc (MRK) is a publicly traded drug manufacturers-general business based in the US. It opened the day at $107.22 after a previous close of $106.73. During the day the price has varied from a low of $105.96 to a high of $107.22. The latest price was $106.34 (25 minute delay). Merck & Co. is listed on the NYSE and employs 67,000 staff. All prices are listed in US Dollars.

How to buy shares in Merck & Co.

  1. Choose a platform. If you're a beginner, our share-dealing table below can help you choose.
  2. Open your account. You'll need your ID, bank details and national insurance number.
  3. Confirm your payment details. You'll need to fund your account with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card.
  4. Search the platform for stock code: MRK in this case.
  5. Research Merck & Co. shares. The platform should provide the latest information available.
  6. Buy your Merck & Co. shares. It's that simple.
The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes. You'll need a smartphone or computer, an internet connection, your passport or driving licence and a means of payment.
Our top picks for where to buy Merck & Co. shares:

Best for

Beginner investments

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Fees for buying 5x Merck & Co. shares with popular platforms

Both exchange rates and share prices fluctuate in real time, so the costs presented here should be considered as a guide only. They do not incorporate stamp duty. Always refer to the platform itself for availability and pricing – which may differ from our information.

Platform Customer rating Platform fee Min. initial deposit Trading fee estimate
Freetrade logo ★★★★★ £0 - £9.99 No minimum £2.56
£436.96 total
Capital at risk
eToro Free Stocks logo ★★★★★ £0 $50 £2.17
£436.57 total
Capital at risk
IG Share Dealing logo ★★★★★ £0 £250 £10.38
£444.78 total
Capital at risk
XTB logo Not yet rated £0 No minimum £2.17
£436.57 total
Capital at risk
CMC Invest share dealing account logo Not yet rated £0 No minimum £2.17
£436.57 total
Capital at risk
Hargreaves Lansdown Fund and Share Account logo ★★★★★ £0 £1 £16.29
£450.69 total
Capital at risk
Lightyear logo Not yet rated £0 No minimum £1.60
£436.00 total
Capital at risk

Full comparison of share dealing platforms

These providers cover a wide range of stocks, but we can't guarantee they'll all offer this stock.

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

Alternative ways to invest in Merck & Co.

Is it a good time to buy Merck & Co. stock?

Only you can make the decision on the time to leap. The gauge below shows real-time ratings that are based on 26 popular indicators such as moving averages, for specific time periods. It's not a recommendation but is simply technical analysis that can form part of your research.

Finder might not agree with the analysis and we take no responsibility. We also give no representations or warranty on the accuracy or completeness of the information provided on this page.

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Invest in Merck & Co. shares
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  • Start investing from $50
  • Pay no stamp duty on UK shares
  • Commission-free trading. Other fees may apply.

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

Is Merck & Co. under- or over-valued?

Valuing a stock is incredibly difficult, and any metric has to be viewed as part of a bigger picture of overall performance. However, analysts commonly use some key metrics to help gauge value. Check out the Merck & Co. P/E ratio, PEG ratio and EBITDA

Merck & Co.'s current share price divided by its per-share earnings (EPS) over a 12-month period gives a "trailing price/earnings ratio" of roughly 87x. In other words, Merck & Co. shares trade at around 87x recent earnings.

That's relatively high compared to, say, the trailing 12-month P/E ratio for the NASDAQ 100 at the end of 2019 (27.29). The high P/E ratio could mean that investors are optimistic about the outlook for the shares or simply that they're over-valued.

Merck & Co.'s "price/earnings-to-growth ratio" can be calculated by dividing its P/E ratio by its growth – to give 1.359. A PEG ratio over 1 can be interpreted as meaning shares are overvalued at the current rate of growth, or may anticipate an acceleration in growth.

The PEG ratio provides a broader view than just the P/E ratio, as it gives more insight into Merck & Co.'s future profitability. By accounting for growth, it could also help you if you're comparing the share prices of multiple high-growth companies.

Merck & Co.'s EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) is a whopping $12.3 billion (£10.1 billion).

The EBITDA is a measure of a Merck & Co.'s overall financial performance and is widely used to measure a its profitability.

What's Merck & Co.'s ESG track record?

Environmental, social and governance (known as ESG) criteria are a set of three factors used to measure the sustainability and social impact of companies like Merck & Co..

Overall Merck & Co. ESG score

Merck & Co.'s total ESG risk: 28.35

Socially conscious investors use ESG scores to screen how an investment aligns with their worldview, and Merck & Co.'s overall score of 28.35 (as at 01/01/2019) is nothing to write home about – landing it in it in the 47th percentile of companies rated in the same sector.

ESG scores are increasingly used to estimate the level of risk a company like Merck & Co. is exposed to within the areas of "environmental" (carbon footprint, resource use etc.), "social" (health and safety, human rights etc.), and "governance" (anti-corruption, tax transparency etc.).

Merck & Co.'s environmental score: 3.15/100

Merck & Co.'s environmental score of 3.15 puts it squarely in the 4th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Merck & Co. is a leader in its sector terms of its environmental impact, and exposed to a lower level of risk.

Merck & Co.'s social score: 15.55/100

Merck & Co.'s social score of 15.55 puts it squarely in the 4th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Merck & Co. is a leader in its sector when it comes to taking good care of its workforce and the communities it impacts.

Merck & Co.'s governance score: 12.65/100

Merck & Co.'s governance score puts it squarely in the 4th percentile of companies rated in the same sector. That could suggest that Merck & Co. is a leader in its sector when it comes to responsible management and strategy, and exposed to a lower level of risk.

Merck & Co.'s controversy score: 3/5

ESG scores also evaluate any incidences of controversy that a company has been involved in. A high-profile company, Merck & Co. scored a 3 out of 5 for controversy – a middle-of-the-table result reflecting that Merck & Co. hasn't always managed to keep its nose clean.

Frequently asked questions

All investing should be regarded as longer term. The value of your investments can go up and down, and you may get back less than you invest. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. If you’re not sure which investments are right for you, please seek out a financial adviser. Capital at risk.

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