Merck & Co. (MRK) Dividend History & Yield
Merck & Co. (MRK) has increased its dividend for 16 consecutive years and currently yields 2.75%. The most recent payment was $0.8500/share on Mar 16, 2026, paid Quarterly.
MRK
Current Yield
2.75%
TTM Dividend/Share
$3.32
Payment Frequency
Quarterly
Payout Ratio
44.8%
Consecutive Growth Years
16
Div Growth (1Y CAGR)
5.13%
Div Growth (5Y CAGR)
6.75%
Div Growth (10Y CAGR)
6.62%
Dividend Safety Score
5 out of 5 checks passed
Payout ratio below 75%
Payout ratio is 44.8%, well below the 75% threshold.
Free cash flow covers dividend
FCF/share ($4.93) covers dividend/share ($3.32).
No dividend cuts in 10+ years
No dividend cuts in the last 10 years.
Positive earnings growth trend
Earnings per share have grown over the past 5 years.
10+ years of consecutive growth
16 consecutive years of dividend growth.
Dividend Payment History
Yield values are for each row's ex-date, not today's live yield.
Ex-date Mar 16, 2026
- Payment date
- Apr 7, 2026
- Dividend
- $0.8500
- Adj. dividend
- $0.8500
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.88%
Ex-date Dec 15, 2025
- Payment date
- Jan 8, 2026
- Dividend
- $0.8500
- Adj. dividend
- $0.8500
- Yield (ex-date)
- 3.27%
Ex-date Sep 15, 2025
- Payment date
- Oct 7, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.8100
- Adj. dividend
- $0.8100
- Yield (ex-date)
- 4.00%
Ex-date Jun 16, 2025
- Payment date
- Jul 8, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.8100
- Adj. dividend
- $0.8100
- Yield (ex-date)
- 3.95%
Ex-date Mar 17, 2025
- Payment date
- Apr 7, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.8100
- Adj. dividend
- $0.8100
- Yield (ex-date)
- 3.33%
Ex-date Dec 16, 2024
- Payment date
- Jan 8, 2025
- Dividend
- $0.8100
- Adj. dividend
- $0.8100
- Yield (ex-date)
- 3.12%
Ex-date Sep 16, 2024
- Payment date
- Oct 7, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7700
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7700
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.61%
Ex-date Jun 17, 2024
- Payment date
- Jul 8, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7700
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7700
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.38%
Ex-date Mar 14, 2024
- Payment date
- Apr 5, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7700
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7700
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.49%
Ex-date Dec 14, 2023
- Payment date
- Jan 8, 2024
- Dividend
- $0.7700
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7700
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.80%
Ex-date Sep 14, 2023
- Payment date
- Oct 6, 2023
- Dividend
- $0.7300
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7300
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.70%
Ex-date Jun 14, 2023
- Payment date
- Jul 10, 2023
- Dividend
- $0.7300
- Adj. dividend
- $0.7300
- Yield (ex-date)
- 2.65%
| Ex-Date | Payment Date | Dividend | Adj. Dividend | Yield (ex-date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | Apr 7, 2026 | $0.8500 | $0.8500 | 2.88% |
| Dec 15, 2025 | Jan 8, 2026 | $0.8500 | $0.8500 | 3.27% |
| Sep 15, 2025 | Oct 7, 2025 | $0.8100 | $0.8100 | 4.00% |
| Jun 16, 2025 | Jul 8, 2025 | $0.8100 | $0.8100 | 3.95% |
| Mar 17, 2025 | Apr 7, 2025 | $0.8100 | $0.8100 | 3.33% |
| Dec 16, 2024 | Jan 8, 2025 | $0.8100 | $0.8100 | 3.12% |
| Sep 16, 2024 | Oct 7, 2024 | $0.7700 | $0.7700 | 2.61% |
| Jun 17, 2024 | Jul 8, 2024 | $0.7700 | $0.7700 | 2.38% |
| Mar 14, 2024 | Apr 5, 2024 | $0.7700 | $0.7700 | 2.49% |
| Dec 14, 2023 | Jan 8, 2024 | $0.7700 | $0.7700 | 2.80% |
| Sep 14, 2023 | Oct 6, 2023 | $0.7300 | $0.7300 | 2.70% |
| Jun 14, 2023 | Jul 10, 2023 | $0.7300 | $0.7300 | 2.65% |
Historical Dividend Yield
Dividend Growth
Dividend Increase Track Record
Merck & Co. has raised its total annual dividend (split-adjusted, by ex-dividend calendar year) versus the prior year for 16 consecutive years — the same figure as the "Consecutive Growth Years" card above.
| Year | Previous DPS | New DPS | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $3.2800 | — | — |
| 2025 | $3.1200 | $3.2800 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $2.9600 | $3.1200 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $2.8000 | $2.9600 | +5.7% |
| 2022 | $2.6102 | $2.8000 | +7.3% |
| 2021 | $2.3664 | $2.6102 | +10.3% |
| 2020 | $2.1565 | $2.3664 | +9.7% |
| 2019 | $1.8989 | $2.1565 | +13.6% |
| 2018 | $1.8034 | $1.8989 | +5.3% |
| 2017 | $1.7653 | $1.8034 | +2.2% |
| 2016 | $1.7271 | $1.7653 | +2.2% |
| 2015 | $1.6889 | $1.7271 | +2.3% |
| 2014 | $1.6508 | $1.6889 | +2.3% |
| 2013 | $1.6126 | $1.6508 | +2.4% |
| 2012 | $1.4886 | $1.6126 | +8.3% |
| 2011 | $1.4504 | $1.4886 | +2.6% |
| 2010 | $1.4504 | $1.4504 | 0.0% |
| 2009 | $1.4504 | $1.4504 | 0.0% |
| 2008 | $1.4504 | $1.4504 | 0.0% |
| 2007 | $1.4504 | $1.4504 | 0.0% |
| 2006 | $1.4504 | $1.4504 | 0.0% |
| 2005 | $1.4313 | $1.4504 | +1.3% |
| 2004 | $4.1374 | $1.4313 | -65.4% |
| 2003 | $1.3550 | $4.1374 | +205.4% |
| 2002 | $1.3168 | $1.3550 | +2.9% |
| 2001 | $1.2023 | $1.3168 | +9.5% |
| 2000 | $1.0687 | $1.2023 | +12.5% |
| 1999 | $0.9447 | $1.0687 | +13.1% |
| 1998 | $0.8302 | $0.9447 | +13.8% |
| 1997 | $0.7061 | $0.8302 | +17.6% |
| 1996 | $0.6107 | $0.7061 | +15.6% |
| 1995 | $0.5534 | $0.6107 | +10.3% |
| 1994 | $0.5057 | $0.5534 | +9.4% |
| 1993 | $0.4580 | $0.5057 | +10.4% |
| 1992 | $0.3785 | $0.4580 | +21.0% |
| 1991 | $0.3212 | $0.3785 | +17.8% |
| 1990 | $0.2735 | $0.3212 | +17.4% |
| 1989 | $0.2075 | $0.2735 | +31.8% |
| 1988 | $0.1431 | $0.2075 | +45.0% |
| 1987 | $0.1060 | $0.1431 | +35.0% |
| 1986 | $0.0875 | $0.1060 | +21.2% |
| 1985 | $0.0808 | $0.0875 | +8.2% |
| 1984 | $0.0755 | $0.0808 | +7.0% |
| 1983 | $0.0742 | $0.0755 | +1.8% |
| 1982 | $0.0702 | $0.0742 | +5.7% |
| 1981 | $0.0630 | $0.0702 | +11.6% |
| 1980 | $0.0530 | $0.0630 | +18.8% |
| 1979 | $0.0464 | $0.0530 | +14.3% |
| 1978 | $0.0411 | $0.0464 | +12.9% |
| 1977 | $0.0378 | $0.0411 | +8.8% |
| 1976 | $0.0371 | $0.0378 | +1.8% |
| 1975 | $0.0278 | $0.0371 | +33.3% |
| 1974 | $0.0327 | $0.0278 | -15.0% |
| 1973 | $0.0224 | $0.0327 | +46.2% |
| 1972 | $0.0292 | $0.0224 | -23.2% |
| 1971 | — | $0.0292 | — |
DPS sums split-adjusted amounts (adj. dividend) by ex-dividend calendar year—the same basis as the Adj. Dividend column in Dividend Payment History. The Dividend column can differ after stock splits. This table uses four decimals per annual total so the Change column matches the shown amounts; each payment row in Dividend Payment History also uses four.
Frequently asked questions
Does Merck & Co. pay dividends?
- Yes, Merck & Co. (MRK) pays quarterly dividends of approximately $3.32 per share annually, yielding 2.75%.
What is Merck & Co.'s dividend yield?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) has a current dividend yield of 2.75%.
Is Merck & Co.'s dividend safe?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) passes 5 out of 5 dividend safety checks. See the detailed breakdown above for each criterion.
How many consecutive years has Merck & Co. increased its dividend?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) has 16 consecutive years of dividend increases.
What is Merck & Co.'s dividend payout ratio?
- Merck & Co. (MRK) has a dividend payout ratio of 44.8%.