How Many Merck (MRK) Shares for $1,000 a Month in Dividends?
At Merck's current dividend of $3.40 a share a year, paid quarterly, it takes 3,530 shares to receive about $1,000 a month before tax. At the price of $146.33 on 2026-10-29 those shares cost about $516,545. Dividends can be raised, cut or stopped, so this is arithmetic at today's rate, not a forecast.
Worked out at today’s share price and the current dividend rate, before tax. Companies can raise, cut or stop their dividends at any time, and the share price can fall as well as rise. This is arithmetic, not a forecast or a suggestion to own any stock.
Shares needed by monthly amount
| Monthly income | Yearly income | Shares needed | Cost at today's price |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $1,200 | 353 | $51,654 |
| $500 | $6,000 | 1,765 | $258,272 |
| $1,000 | $12,000 | 3,530 | $516,545 |
| $2,000 | $24,000 | 7,059 | $1,032,943 |
| $5,000 | $60,000 | 17,648 | $2,582,432 |
MRK dividend facts
- Current dividend a year: $3.40 a share
- Yield at today's price: 2.32%
- Paid: Quarterly
- Growth in dividends paid, last 5 years: +6.0% a year
- Model fair value: $135.69 (gap -7.3%; a model estimate, not a forecast)
Recent regular dividends
| Ex-dividend date | Per share |
|---|---|
| 2026-09-15 | $0.8500 |
| 2026-06-15 | $0.8500 |
| 2026-03-16 | $0.8500 |
| 2025-12-15 | $0.8500 |
| 2025-09-15 | $0.8100 |
| 2025-06-16 | $0.8100 |
| 2025-03-17 | $0.8100 |
| 2024-12-16 | $0.8100 |
| 2024-09-16 | $0.7700 |
| 2024-06-17 | $0.7700 |
| 2024-03-14 | $0.7700 |
| 2023-12-14 | $0.7700 |
Questions and answers
How many Merck shares do you need for $1,000 a month in dividends?
At Merck's current dividend of $3.40 a share a year, paid quarterly, it takes 3,530 shares to receive about $1,000 a month before tax. At the price of $146.33 on 2026-10-29 those shares cost about $516,545. Dividends can be raised, cut or stopped, so this is arithmetic at today's rate, not a forecast.
How often does Merck pay a dividend?
Quarterly. The most recent regular payment was $0.85 a share, with an ex-dividend date of 2026-09-15.