The Filing Desk

Eli Lilly vs Merck

Eli Lilly LLY · Merck MRK · Pharmaceuticals

Eli Lilly reported revenue of $65.2 billion in fiscal 2025, about the same as Merck's $65.0 billion in fiscal 2025. Eli Lilly's revenue grew 44.7% in its latest year, and Merck's grew 1.3%. Free cash flow was $9.0 billion at Eli Lilly and $12.4 billion at Merck.

Side by side

Eli LillyMerck
Latest fiscal yearFY2025, Dec 31, 2025FY2025, Dec 31, 2025
Revenue$65.2B$65.0B
Revenue growth44.7%1.3%
Revenue growth a year, last 5 years21.6%9.4%
Gross margin83.0%74.8%
Operating margin——
Net margin31.7%28.1%
Free cash flow$9.0B$12.4B
Free cash flow margin13.8%19.0%
Return on capital40.8%24.8%
Net debt to EBITDA1.2x1.2x
Dividends and buybacks$9.5B$13.3B
Change in diluted share count−0.5%−1.3%
Last close$1,279.14$140.61
P/E at the last close42.9×111.6×
Insider trades, last 12 monthssold $2.5 billionsold $72.0 million
Piotroski F-score8 of 94 of 9
Amounts in each company's own currency, US$ unless marked (a foreign company may report in another), each company's latest fiscal year from its 10-K, or 20-F or 40-F for a foreign company. Growth rates compare with the year before; the five-year rate is the average a year. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending; return on capital is after-tax operating income over the money invested in the business; P/E is the last close over the latest earnings per share. Banks are measured differently (return on equity, efficiency ratio), so some rows apply to one company only.

Ten years

Revenue
US$ billions, fiscal years
Eli LillyMerck
Operating margin
Percent of revenue
Eli LillyMerck
Free cash flow
US$ billions. Cash from operations minus capital expenditure.
Eli LillyMerck

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Source: the companies' Form 10-K filings, from SEC EDGAR, and the last close. For information only, not investment advice: the figures describe results, not which company is the better investment. The Filing Desk is not affiliated with either company. Full figures on the Eli Lilly and Merck pages.