What if you'd held MRK?
A $1,000 investment in Merck & Company, Inc. Common Stock (new) (MRK) at the month-end close of 1962-01 would be worth $2.59M at the close of 2026-08 — +259184.5% total return, dividends reinvested. The same $1,000 in the S&P 500 would be worth $111,969.
Your scenario
Result
If you'd bought $1,000 at the start of each year
Value of $1,000 invested on January 1 of each year, held to 2026-08, dividends included.
Every year, $1,000 from 1962
| Year | Value of $1,000 | Year return |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | $1,000 | — |
| 1963 | $1,435 | +43.5% |
| 1964 | $1,998 | +39.3% |
| 1965 | $2,898 | +45.0% |
| 1966 | $3,219 | +11.1% |
| 1967 | $3,608 | +12.1% |
| 1968 | $3,932 | +9.0% |
| 1969 | $5,045 | +28.3% |
| 1970 | $4,503 | -10.7% |
| 1971 | $5,756 | +27.8% |
| 1972 | $8,369 | +45.4% |
| 1973 | $7,692 | -8.1% |
| 1974 | $6,417 | -16.6% |
| 1975 | $6,818 | +6.3% |
| 1976 | $6,848 | +0.4% |
| 1977 | $5,738 | -16.2% |
| 1978 | $7,205 | +25.6% |
| 1979 | $7,929 | +10.0% |
| 1980 | $9,615 | +21.3% |
| 1981 | $9,911 | +3.1% |
| 1982 | $10,269 | +3.6% |
| 1983 | $11,316 | +10.2% |
| 1984 | $12,184 | +7.7% |
| 1985 | $18,287 | +50.1% |
| 1986 | $33,756 | +84.6% |
| 1987 | $43,875 | +30.0% |
| 1988 | $49,116 | +11.9% |
| 1989 | $67,519 | +37.5% |
| 1990 | $80,307 | +18.9% |
| 1991 | $151,693 | +88.9% |
| 1992 | $120,881 | -20.3% |
| 1993 | $98,718 | -18.3% |
| 1994 | $113,378 | +14.8% |
| 1995 | $200,234 | +76.6% |
| 1996 | $248,162 | +23.9% |
| 1997 | $336,629 | +35.6% |
| 1998 | $475,661 | +41.3% |
| 1999 | $440,057 | -7.5% |
| 2000 | $623,834 | +41.8% |
| 2001 | $399,492 | -36.0% |
| 2002 | $394,661 | -1.2% |
| 2003 | $350,471 | -11.2% |
| 2004 | $253,153 | -27.8% |
| 2005 | $263,387 | +4.0% |
| 2006 | $375,791 | +42.7% |
| 2007 | $516,164 | +37.4% |
| 2008 | $282,175 | -45.3% |
| 2009 | $357,517 | +26.7% |
| 2010 | $367,927 | +2.9% |
| 2011 | $403,102 | +9.6% |
| 2012 | $456,055 | +13.1% |
| 2013 | $578,399 | +26.8% |
| 2014 | $676,333 | +16.9% |
| 2015 | $650,037 | -3.9% |
| 2016 | $747,895 | +15.1% |
| 2017 | $736,777 | -1.5% |
| 2018 | $1.03M | +40.0% |
| 2019 | $1.26M | +22.3% |
| 2020 | $1.17M | -7.2% |
| 2021 | $1.19M | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $1.78M | +49.4% |
| 2023 | $1.8M | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $1.68M | -6.3% |
| 2025 | $1.85M | +9.8% |
| 2026 | $2.71M | +46.7% |
Best and worst month-end to buy
The best single month-end close to have bought MRK was 1962-08 ($0.05): $1,000 then is $3.37M today. The worst was 2026-08 ($152): $1,000 then is $1,000.
FAQ
What would $1,000 in MRK be worth today?
A $1,000 investment in Merck & Company, Inc. Common Stock (new) (MRK) at the start of 1962 would be worth about $2.59M today, a total return of +259184.5%. Dividends are reinvested in these figures.
What were the best and worst years for MRK?
Merck & Company, Inc. Common Stock (new) (MRK)'s strongest calendar year since 1962 was 1991, a +88.9% return — $1,000 held through that year became about $1,889 by year-end. Its weakest year was 2008, at -45.3%.
Does the calculator include dividends and splits?
Yes where available. Prices are adjusted for both stock splits and reinvested dividends (total return), the same measure brokerages use.
How much would $100 per month in MRK have grown?
Investing $100 at the end of every month since 1962-01 would have grown to about $20.99M on $77,600 invested.
Did MRK beat the S&P 500?
Over the same period, $1,000 in the S&P 500 index would be worth $111,969. MRK beat the S&P 500 by +2215.7% in total return.
Is this investment advice?
No. What If I'd Held is an entertainment and education tool. Every number is a historical calculation, not a prediction, and past performance never guarantees future results.
Methodology
Merck & Company, Inc. Common Stock (new) (MRK) historical total-return data from 1962-01 to 2026-08, reduced to month-end closes for the tables above.
Returns use adjusted close prices from Yahoo Finance historical data — adjusted for stock splits and reinvested dividends — the same convention used by major brokerages. A "year" scenario invests $1,000 at the prior December's month-end close and values it at the latest available month-end close. Non-USD amounts are converted at historical month-end exchange rates (Yahoo Finance): to USD on the buy date and back to your currency at the latest rate, so the return reflects the currency move as well as the asset.
Month-end resolution means intra-month extremes are not captured in tables; the calculator uses exact trading-day closes where daily data is available. Figures ignore taxes, fees, and the currency effects of non-USD listings. History is not a forecast. What If I'd Held is entertainment, not investment advice.
What if you'd held…
Data: adjusted close prices via Yahoo Finance. As of 2026-08. Not financial advice.