Current Assets
Cash & Equivalents
Merck & Co. Cash & Equivalents decreased by 63.3% to $5.4B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 38.2%, from $8.73B to $5.4B. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Cash & Equivalents shows an upward trend with a 12.5% CAGR. This decline may warrant attention — for this metric, higher values are generally preferred.
Analysis
StatementBalance Sheet Statement
SectionCurrent Assets
CategoryLiquidity
SignalHigher is better
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ4 2012
Last reportedQ1 2026May 4, 2026
How to read this metric
Higher levels provide greater financial flexibility and safety, though excessive cash may indicate inefficient capital allocation.
Detailed definition
This represents the most liquid assets held by the company, including cash on hand, demand deposits, and short-term inve...
Peer comparison
Universal metric across all sectors; peers with higher ratios are generally considered more resilient to market downturns.
Metric ID:
cash_and_equivalentsHistorical Data
20 periods
| Q2 '21 | Q3 '21 | Q4 '21 | Q1 '22 | Q2 '22 | Q3 '22 | Q4 '22 | Q1 '23 | Q2 '23 | Q3 '23 | Q4 '23 | Q1 '24 | Q2 '24 | Q3 '24 | Q4 '24 | Q1 '25 | Q2 '25 | Q3 '25 | Q4 '25 | Q1 '26 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | $8.63B | $10.05B | $8.17B | $8.61B | $9.75B | $11.28B | $12.77B | $9.79B | $5.71B | $8.67B | $6.91B | $5.67B | $11.37B | $14.69B | $13.32B | $8.73B | $8.07B | $18.26B | $14.69B | $5.4B |
| QoQ Change | — | +16.4% | -18.7% | +5.5% | +13.2% | +15.6% | +13.2% | -23.4% | -41.6% | +51.8% | -20.3% | -17.9% | +100.5% | +29.1% | -9.3% | -34.4% | -7.5% | +126.2% | -19.6% | -63.3% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +13.0% | +12.3% | +56.4% | +13.6% | -41.4% | -23.1% | -45.9% | -42.0% | +99.1% | +69.4% | +92.8% | +54.0% | -29.0% | +24.3% | +10.3% | -38.2% |
Range$5.4B – $18.26B
CAGR-9.4%
Avg YoY Growth+14.1%
Median YoY Growth+12.6%
Current Streak2 quarters decline
Cash & Equivalents at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Merck & Co.'s cash & equivalents?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) reported cash & equivalents of $5.4B in Q1 2026.
- How has Merck & Co.'s cash & equivalents changed year-over-year?
- Merck & Co.'s cash & equivalents decreased by 38.2% year-over-year, from $8.73B to $5.4B.
- What is the long-term trend for Merck & Co.'s cash & equivalents?
- Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), Merck & Co.'s cash & equivalents has grown at a 12.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $8.15B to $14.69B.
- What does cash & equivalents mean?
- Highly liquid cash and short-term investments that can be accessed immediately.