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CI vs MRK: Correlation

How closely do Cigna (CI) and Merck & Co. (MRK) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.34, which is moderate.

Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology

Correlation (3Y)
0.34
moderate
Correlation (1Y)
0.38
last 12 months
Correlation (5Y)
0.35
long-run
Ann. covariance
255.5
%² · weekly, annualized

How correlated are CI and MRK?

Over the past 3 years, CI and MRK moved with a correlation of 0.34, which is moderate. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of 0.38 lands near the 3-year figure. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.35, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 255.5 %².

By 3-year correlation, MRK places #17 of the 30 assets tracked against CI. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with MRK ahead by 89.2 points (-5.4% versus +83.8%). Across three years, the rolling one-year figure varied moderately, from 0.16 to 0.52.

+1.0+0.50-0.5-1.020232026-08-27
Rolling one-year correlation of weekly returns over the past three years.
How is this computed?

Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.

CI vs MRK: side by side

CI (Cigna)MRK (Merck & Co.)
1-year return-5.4%+83.8%
5-year return+46.7%+128.5%
Volatility (ann.)26.7%27.9%
Beta vs S&P 5000.220.28
Max drawdown (3Y)-32.1%-43.4%
Market cap$73.4B$368.9B
P/E (trailing)11.6121.6
Dividend yield2.19%2.17%
Sector / categoryHealth CareHealth Care
Lower P/E: CI 11.6 vs 121.6Higher yield: CI 2.19% vs 2.17%Smaller drawdown: CI -32.1% vs -43.4%Higher 5y return: MRK +128.5% vs +46.7%
-20%0%+86%2025-09-052026-08-27
Price paths over the last 12 months, both indexed to 100 at the start (weekly closes). CI · MRK

Year-by-year returns

YearCIMRK
2022+46.7%+49.4%
2023-8.0%+1.0%
2024-6.3%-6.3%
2025+1.7%+9.8%
2026+2.0%+44.1%

Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.

Are CI and MRK good diversifiers for each other?

A fair diversifier. At 0.34, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.

FAQ

What is the correlation between CI and MRK?

Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.34 over 3 years, with 0.38 over the last year and 0.35 over 5 years.

Is MRK a good diversifier for CI?

A fair diversifier. At 0.34, enough of each asset's movement is its own that the pair has smoothed outcomes historically.

What does a correlation of 0.34 mean?

On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.34 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.

Use this data

JSON API · no key required
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/ci-vs-mrk.json

CI vs MRK: 3-year weekly correlation 0.34CI vs MRK0.34

Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:

[![CI vs MRK correlation](https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/badge/ci-vs-mrk.svg)](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/ci-vs-mrk/)

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Related comparisons

Hubs: CI correlations · MRK correlations