Goodwill
Merck & Co. Goodwill increased by 0.0% to $21.58B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 0.5%, from $21.68B to $21.58B. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Goodwill shows an upward trend with a 2.7% CAGR.
Analysis
How to read this metric
High levels of goodwill indicate a history of acquisitions; significant write-downs signal that previous acquisitions have failed to meet performance expectations.
Detailed definition
Goodwill arises when a company acquires another business for a price higher than the fair market value of its identifiab...
Peer comparison
Common in the pharmaceutical industry due to frequent M&A activity aimed at acquiring new drug pipelines.
goodwillHistorical Data
| 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 | $18.87B | $18.86B | $21.26B | $21.26B | $21.21B | $21.16B | $21.2B | $21.21B | $21.2B | $21.18B | $21.2B | $21.18B | $21.16B | $21.7B | $21.67B | $21.68B | $21.59B | $21.59B | $21.58B | $21.58B |
| QoQ Change | — | -0.1% | +12.7% | -0.0% | -0.2% | -0.2% | +0.2% | +0.0% | -0.1% | -0.1% | +0.1% | -0.1% | -0.1% | +2.5% | -0.1% | +0.1% | -0.4% | -0.0% | -0.0% | +0.0% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | +12.4% | +12.2% | -0.3% | -0.2% | -0.1% | +0.1% | -0.0% | -0.1% | -0.2% | +2.4% | +2.2% | +2.4% | +2.0% | -0.5% | -0.4% | -0.5% |
Business Segments
| Segment | Q4 '21 | Q4 '22 | Q4 '23 | Q4 '24 | Q4 '25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical segment | $18B | $17.94B | $17.92B | $17.9B | $17.91B |
| Animal Health | $3.27B | $3.27B | $3.28B | $3.77B | $3.67B |
| Total | $21.26B | $21.2B | $21.2B | $21.67B | $21.58B |
Animal Health, Pharmaceutical segment were previously reported and have since been discontinued or reclassified. Only currently active segments are shown in the chart.
Goodwill at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Merck & Co.'s goodwill?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) reported goodwill of $21.58B in Q1 2026.
- How has Merck & Co.'s goodwill changed year-over-year?
- Merck & Co.'s goodwill decreased by 0.5% year-over-year, from $21.68B to $21.58B.
- What is the long-term trend for Merck & Co.'s goodwill?
- Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), Merck & Co.'s goodwill has grown at a 2.7% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $18.88B to $21.58B.
- What does goodwill mean?
- The premium paid over the fair value of assets when acquiring another company.