Current Assets
Restricted Cash
Merck & Co. Restricted Cash decreased by 43.2% to $71M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 31.1%, from $103M to $71M. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Restricted Cash shows an upward trend with a 4.2% CAGR. This is a positive signal — lower values indicate better performance for this metric.
Analysis
StatementBalance Sheet Statement
SectionCurrent Assets
CategoryLiquidity
SignalLower is better
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ4 2017
Last reportedQ1 2026May 4, 2026
How to read this metric
An increase may signal higher regulatory requirements or specific contractual obligations that tie up liquidity.
Detailed definition
Restricted cash refers to cash balances that are legally or contractually set aside for specific purposes and are not av...
Peer comparison
Higher levels are often seen in regulated industries or companies with significant debt covenants.
Metric ID:
restricted_cashHistorical 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 | $55M | $30M | $62M | $31M | $28M | $55M | $67M | $31M | $44M | $64M | $68M | $92M | $69M | $95M | $76M | $103M | $66M | $91M | $125M | $71M |
| QoQ Change | — | -45.5% | +106.7% | -50.0% | -9.7% | +96.4% | +21.8% | -53.7% | +41.9% | +45.5% | +6.3% | +35.3% | -25.0% | +37.7% | -20.0% | +35.5% | -35.9% | +37.9% | +37.4% | -43.2% |
| YoY Change | — | — | — | — | -49.1% | +83.3% | +8.1% | +0.0% | +57.1% | +16.4% | +1.5% | +196.8% | +56.8% | +48.4% | +11.8% | +12.0% | -4.3% | -4.2% | +64.5% | -31.1% |
Range$28M – $125M
CAGR+5.5%
Avg YoY Growth+29.2%
Median YoY Growth+11.9%
Restricted Cash at Other Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Merck & Co.'s restricted cash?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) reported restricted cash of $71M in Q1 2026.
- How has Merck & Co.'s restricted cash changed year-over-year?
- Merck & Co.'s restricted cash decreased by 31.1% year-over-year, from $103M to $71M.
- What is the long-term trend for Merck & Co.'s restricted cash?
- Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), Merck & Co.'s restricted cash has grown at a 4.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $102M to $125M.
- What does restricted cash mean?
- Cash that is legally set aside and cannot be used for everyday business operations.