HomeComparePAYM vs MRK

PAYM vs MRK: Dividend Comparison 2026

PAYM yields 1.89% · MRK yields 2.76%● Live data

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After 10 years · $10,000 invested · DRIP enabled
🏆 MRK wins by $34.3K in total portfolio value
10 years
PAYM
PAYM
● Live price
1.89%
Share price
$21.94
Annual div
$0.42
5Y div CAGR
0%
Payout ratio
50%
After 10 yrs · $10,000 · DRIP
Portfolio value
$22.4K
Annual income
$214.12
Full PAYM calculator →
MRK
Merck & Co. Inc.
● Live price
2.76%
Share price
$120.31
Annual div
$3.32
5Y div CAGR
32.7%
Payout ratio
50%
After 10 yrs · $10,000 · DRIP
Portfolio value
$56.8K
Annual income
$9,798.13
Full MRK calculator →

Portfolio growth — PAYM vs MRK

📍 MRK pulled ahead of the other in Year 1

Annual dividend income

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Recession Test — Did They Cut Dividends?

How each stock treated shareholders during the 3 biggest crises of the last 20 years

Crisis PeriodPAYMMRK
2008–2009
GFC
— No data— No data
2020 Q1–Q2
COVID
— No data— No data
2022 Q4
Rate Hike
— No data— No data
Based on dividend payment history. "Increased" = dividend grew during crisis. "Maintained" = held within 3%. "Cut" = reduced by more than 3%.
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Dividend Calendar Overlap

Combined, PAYM + MRK cover 0 of 12 monthsgood coverage

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
PAYM pays
MRK pays
Both pay
Neither
💰

Tax Bracket Optimizer

Which stock is actually better after tax? Adjust your rate to find out.

PAYM
Annual income on $10K today (after 15% tax)
$161.01/yr
After 10yr DRIP, annual income (after tax)
$182.00/yr
MRK
Annual income on $10K today (after 15% tax)
$234.56/yr
After 10yr DRIP, annual income (after tax)
$8,328.41/yr
At 15% tax rate, MRK beats the other by $8,146.41/year in after-tax income after 10 years on $10,000
⚖️

Lazy Portfolio Split Optimizer

What's the optimal mix of PAYM + MRK for your $10,000?

PAYM: 50%MRK: 50%
100% MRK50/50100% PAYM
Portfolio after 10yr
$39.6K
Annual income
$5,006.13/yr
Blended yield
12.64%
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Analyst Conviction Gap

Where Wall Street is most bullish on MRK right now

PAYM
No analyst data
MRK
Analyst Ratings
25
Buy
11
Hold
1
Sell
Consensus: Buy
Price Target
$128.54
+6.8% upside vs current
Range: $100.00 — $150.00
Altman Z
4.0
Piotroski
6/9
Analyst ratings via FMP. Altman Z-Score: >3.0 safe, 1.81–3.0 grey zone, <1.81 distress. Piotroski: 7–9 strong, 0–3 weak.
🏛️

Copy Congress — What Are Politicians Buying?

Senate & House STOCK Act disclosures (last 90 days)

PAYM buys
0
MRK buys
0
No recent congressional trades found for PAYM or MRK in the last 90 days.
STOCK Act mandates disclosure within 45 days of transaction. Data via FMP.Full tracker →
MetricPAYMMRK
Forward yield1.89%2.76%
Annual dividend / share$0.42$3.32
Payout ratio50%50%
1-year div growth0%0%
5-year div CAGR0%32.7%
Portfolio after 10y$22.4K$56.8K
Annual income after 10y$214.12$9,798.13
Total dividends collected$2.0K$28.9K
Payment frequencyquarterlyquarterly
SectorStockHealthcare

Year-by-year: PAYM vs MRK ($10,000, DRIP)

YearPAYM PortfolioPAYM Income/yrMRK PortfolioMRK Income/yrGap
1← crossover$10,889$189.42$11,206$366.19$317.00MRK
2$11,844$192.78$12,650$502.35$806.00MRK
3$12,870$195.97$14,407$694.19$1.5KMRK
4$13,969$199.00$16,585$967.82$2.6KMRK
5$15,149$201.87$19,342$1,363.89$4.2KMRK
6$16,414$204.60$22,913$1,947.19$6.5KMRK
7$17,770$207.18$27,662$2,823.89$9.9KMRK
8$19,224$209.62$34,159$4,173.35$14.9KMRK
9$20,781$211.94$43,337$6,308.80$22.6KMRK
10$22,450$214.12$56,776$9,798.13$34.3KMRK

PAYM vs MRK: Complete Analysis 2026

PAYMStock

PAYM aims to provide moderate monthly income with some downside protection, however, investors face loss of principal if the equity index falls sharply. PAYM aims to provide a lower-volatility equity strategy as compared to its sister product, PAYH. The strategy is designed to smooth returns and manage risk in changing market conditions. The ETF is actively managed, aiming to provide exposure to an autocallable index that tracks a portfolio of synthetic autocallable notes linked to a custom volatility index. The fund gains exposure to autocallable notes through total return swaps, rather than by directly holding the autocallables. Swap exposure is rebalanced or rolled weekly. Exposure to S&P 500 futures may be adjusted up to seven times daily, increasing exposure in calm markets and reducing it during volatility to stabilize risk and potentially reduce drawdowns. The fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in a Cayman Islands subsidiary for derivatives exposure.

Full PAYM Calculator →

MRKHealthcare

Merck & Co., Inc. operates as a healthcare company worldwide. It operates through two segments, Pharmaceutical and Animal Health. The Pharmaceutical segment offers human health pharmaceutical products in the areas of oncology, hospital acute care, immunology, neuroscience, virology, cardiovascular, and diabetes, as well as vaccine products, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. The Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and health management solutions and services, as well as digitally connected identification, traceability, and monitoring products. It serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, and government agencies; managed health care providers, such as health maintenance organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, and other institutions; and physicians and physician distributors, veterinarians, and animal producers. The company has collaborations with AstraZeneca PLC; Bayer AG; Eisai Co., Ltd.; Ridgeback Biotherapeutics; and Gilead Sciences, Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize long-acting treatments in HIV. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey.

Full MRK Calculator →
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⚠️ Educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Congressional trades sourced from SEC STOCK Act filings via FMP. Past performance does not guarantee future results.