Merck Surges Ahead as US Drugmaker Stocks See Mixed Results
The year-to-date performance of three major US drugmakers has seen Merck take the lead, Amgen in second place, and Pfizer trailing behind. Merck's stock price has climbed by 44% to $151.67, surpassing its peers in this comparison. The company's oncology franchise is led by KEYTRUDA, the world's top-selling cancer immunotherapy.
Merck's portfolio extends beyond oncology, including treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension and COPD. Its vaccine lineup features GARDASIL 9 for HPV and CAPVAXIVE for pneumococcal disease. Despite not having a GLP-1 obesity franchise, Merck has seen significant growth in 2026.
Amgen's stock price has advanced by 35% to $440.84, placing it second in this three-way race. The company markets more than 20 products, including Repatha for cholesterol and EVENITY for osteoporosis. Amgen's pipeline is anchored by MariTide, an antibody-peptide conjugate in Phase 3 development for obesity.
Pfizer shares are up 14% year to date at $28.23, trailing behind both Merck and Amgen. Despite its weaker price performance, Pfizer stock offers income appeal with a 6.3% dividend yield and a P/E ratio of 20x.