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Non-Current Liabilities

Long-Term Debt

Merck & Co. Long-Term Debt decreased by 0.4% to $49.1B in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 41.1%, from $34.8B to $49.1B. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Long-Term Debt shows an upward trend with a 9.2% CAGR.

Analysis

StatementBalance Sheet Statement
SectionNon-Current Liabilities
CategoryLeverage
SignalContext dependent
VolatilityStable
First reportedQ4 2014
Last reportedQ1 2026May 4, 2026

How to read this metric

High levels of long-term debt increase financial leverage and interest risk, while lower levels provide more flexibility but may indicate under-utilization of cheaper debt capital.

Detailed definition

This represents the portion of debt obligations that are due beyond one year, serving as a primary source of long-term c...

Peer comparison

Large-cap pharmaceutical companies often carry significant long-term debt to fund R&D and acquisitions, balanced by strong cash flows.

Metric ID: long_term_debt

Historical Data

20 periods
 Q2 '21Q3 '21Q4 '21Q1 '22Q2 '22Q3 '22Q4 '22Q1 '23Q2 '23Q3 '23Q4 '23Q1 '24Q2 '24Q3 '24Q4 '24Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25Q1 '26
Value$26.5B$26.4B$33.1B$31.8B$31.7B$30.4B$30.7B$30.7B$36.9B$34.9B$35.1B$34.2B$37.8B$38.1B$37.1B$34.8B$35.4B$41.4B$49.3B$49.1B
QoQ Change-0.4%+25.4%-3.9%-0.3%-4.1%+1.0%+0.0%+20.2%-5.4%+0.6%-2.6%+10.5%+0.8%-2.6%-6.2%+1.7%+16.9%+19.1%-0.4%
YoY Change+19.6%+15.2%-7.3%-3.5%+16.4%+14.8%+14.3%+11.4%+2.4%+9.2%+5.7%+1.8%-6.3%+8.7%+32.9%+41.1%
Range$26.4B$49.3B
CAGR+13.9%
Avg YoY Growth+11.0%
Median YoY Growth+10.3%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Merck & Co.'s long-term debt?
Merck & Co. (MRK) reported long-term debt of $49.1B in Q1 2026.
How has Merck & Co.'s long-term debt changed year-over-year?
Merck & Co.'s long-term debt increased by 41.1% year-over-year, from $34.8B to $49.1B.
What is the long-term trend for Merck & Co.'s long-term debt?
Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), Merck & Co.'s long-term debt has grown at a 9.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $31.8B to $49.3B.
What does long-term debt mean?
The total amount of debt the company owes that is not due for repayment within the next year.