MRK vs VTRS: Correlation
Merck & Co. (MRK) and Viatris (VTRS) show a moderate relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is 0.38.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are MRK and VTRS?
Over the past 3 years, MRK and VTRS moved with a correlation of 0.38, which is moderate. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (0.40) sits close to the 3-year figure. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.32, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 347.1 %².
Among the 34 assets we track against MRK, VTRS ranks #20 by 3-year correlation. The last year tells two different stories: MRK led by 16.0 percentage points, +83.8% for MRK against +67.8% for VTRS. This link changes with the market regime, having swung between 0.02 and 0.60 on a rolling one-year basis.
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.
MRK vs VTRS: side by side
| MRK (Merck & Co.) | VTRS (Viatris) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +83.8% | +67.8% |
| 5-year return | +128.5% | +44.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 27.9% | 32.8% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.28 | 0.79 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -43.4% | -45.0% |
| Market cap | $368.9B | $19.4B |
| P/E (trailing) | 121.6 | – |
| Dividend yield | 2.17% | 2.85% |
| Sector / category | Health Care | Health Care |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | MRK | VTRS |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +49.4% | -14.3% |
| 2023 | +1.0% | +2.1% |
| 2024 | -6.3% | +19.7% |
| 2025 | +9.8% | +5.1% |
| 2026 | +44.1% | +38.9% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are MRK and VTRS good diversifiers for each other?
Reasonably. At 0.38, MRK and VTRS keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between MRK and VTRS?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.38 over 3 years, with 0.40 over the last year and 0.32 over 5 years.
Is VTRS a good diversifier for MRK?
Reasonably. At 0.38, MRK and VTRS keep a meaningful degree of independence, and combining them has historically reduced portfolio volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.38 mean?
Correlation ranges from −1 to +1. Values near +1 mean two assets move together, near 0 that they move independently, and negative values that they tend to move in opposite directions. It measures co-movement, not performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/mrk-vs-vtrs.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/mrk-vs-vtrs/)
No key needed, free to use. Full endpoint list in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: MRK correlations · VTRS correlations
