$147.76+0.55% today
- 5Y
- +105.91%
- $10K became
- $20,591
MRK vs SPY
Total return with dividends reinvested · 5Y
MRK
SPY
$754.37-0.36% today
- 5Y
- +72.62%
- $10K became
- $17,262
Return and risk 5Y
| Ticker | $10K became | Total | Per year | Volatility | Worst drop | Off high now | Best year | Worst year | Years up | Corr. with MRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | $20,591 | +105.91% | +15.56% | 24.4% | -43.44% | -4.99% | +48.97% 2022 | -9.73% 2024 | 75% | — |
| SPY | $17,262 | +72.62% | +11.55% | 17.3% | -24.49% | -3.17% | +26.73% 2023 | -18.64% 2022 | 75% | 0.20 |
MRK
- $10K became
- $20,591
- Total
- +105.91%
- Per year
- +15.56%
- Volatility
- 24.4%
- Worst drop
- -43.44%
- Off high now
- -4.99%
- Best year
- +48.97% 2022
- Worst year
- -9.73% 2024
SPY
- $10K became
- $17,262
- Total
- +72.62%
- Per year
- +11.55%
- Volatility
- 17.3%
- Worst drop
- -24.49%
- Off high now
- -3.17%
- Best year
- +26.73% 2023
- Worst year
- -18.64% 2022
Per year: compound annual growth rate, needs a year of history. Volatility: yearly spread of daily returns. Best and worst years: full calendar years only.
Drawdown from peak 5Y
0%-25%-50%
2021-112026-11
Correlation of daily returns
MRKSPYMRK1.000.20SPY0.201.00
1 moves together, 0 unrelated, negative moves opposite. Lower means more diversification.
Trailing returns up to 5 years
| Ticker | 1Y | 2Y | 3Y | 5Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRK | — | — | — | — |
| SPY | — | — | — | — |
Calendar-year returns best each year in bold
| Year | MRK | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| No full years in this range yet. | ||
More comparisons
About this comparison
Summary, desk note and 6 common questions.
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) vs State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) total return over 5Y: MRK +105.91%, SPY +72.62%. As of Nov 13, 2026. Research only.
Merck & Co. (MRK) closed at $147.2, down 1.76% as of 2026‑10‑22. The overlay shows a BUY direction with a score of 5, while the market regime remains BEAR for the past 17 days. Quality metrics sit at 38.45 and the stock is classified as a “Dividend Compounder (blended).” Readers can open the MRK page or methodology for full overlay detail. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) finished at $764.0, off 1.18% on 2026‑10‑22. Its overlay signals a SELL direction with a –5 score, though the broader regime is BULL for 81 days. Quality scores are 54.20 and the fund is tagged as “Balanced.” Full overlay information is available on the SPY page. Over a five‑year horizon, MRK delivered a total‑return of +110.3% versus +79.4% for SPY, reflecting stronger compounded gains when dividends and splits are included.
What does the MRK vs SPY overlay show?
LOPJLB overlays MRK vs SPY as total return (dividends and splits) from the first adjusted close in the selected 5Y window. Each path starts at 0% so you can read relative holding performance, not raw tape price.
Is this holding return or tape close?
Holding return. The series uses split- and dividend-adjusted close (Yahoo-style backward adjustment) when dividend coverage is sufficient, otherwise it falls back to tape close. Candles and technical overlays on /chart stay tape.
Which windows are public?
Public visitors can share 1M, 3M, 6M, YTD, 1Y, and 5Y. MAX is Research+. Direction and regime in the table follow the desk ladder: SPY25 on Free, full book on Essential+.
How do I read the drawdown, period, and annual tables?
Drawdowns are current and worst peak-to-trough on the visible range. Periods are calendar lookbacks (1Y / 2Y / 3Y / 5Y, plus 10Y on MAX) from the last bar. Annual is calendar-year holding return, with the latest year labeled YTD.
How has MRK vs SPY performed on a normalized basis?
MRK vs SPY holding-return overlay: 5Y MRK +105.91% · SPY +72.62%; worst drawdown MRK -43.44% · SPY -24.49%; YTD MRK +41.72% · SPY +11.29%. Numbers update from the live compare-series book.
Is ticker compare investment advice?
No. The overlay is research context only — not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.