Rob Davis, CEO of Merck (MRK), earned $12.0M in total compensation in 2025. Merck receives a Pay-for-Performance grade of B (71/100), with a CEO-to-worker pay ratio of 120:1 and a say-on-pay shareholder approval of 94.6%. The company's 3-year total shareholder return is +11.7%.
How Merck CEO Pay Compares
Rob Davis's $12.0M total compensation is 0% below the Pharmaceuticals industry median of $12.0M. The 120:1 CEO-to-worker pay ratio is 4% lower than the industry average of 125:1.
Merck (MRK) disclosed $12.0M in CEO compensation for Rob Davis. The package is structured for retention plus performance alignment, with equity awards taking the largest share.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio runs 120x. Lower ratios typically reflect companies with higher-paid workforces (financial services, technology, professional services) where the median worker pay denominator is itself substantial. Performance has been muted across the three-year window: 11.7% TSR, 4.0% revenue change. Stagnant performance combined with substantial CEO pay is the classic setup for proxy-advisor opposition on say-on-pay votes.
Shareholders supported the compensation package at 95% on the most recent say-on-pay vote. Solid support without overwhelming endorsement is the typical pattern for established public companies with conventional compensation programs. Merck operates in Pharmaceuticals with 69,000 employees and $60.1B in annual revenue, and currently carries a market capitalization of $280.0B. Pay comparisons across companies require controlling for these structural factors — a $20M package at a $10B-revenue tech company reads differently than the same package at a $1B-revenue industrial.
Source: SEC EDGAR — DEF 14A proxy statements for Merck (MRK).
Compensation Breakdown
Rob Davis's $12.0M total compensation package for fiscal year 2025 includes $1.2M in base salary, $6.0M in stock awards, $1.4M in option awards, and $1.8M in bonus and non-equity incentives.
Compensation History
| Year | Salary | Bonus | Stock Awards | Options | Non-Equity | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2024 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2023 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
| 2022 | $1.2M | - | $6.0M | $1.4M | $1.8M | $1.3M | $12.0M |
All compensation data is sourced from SEC DEF 14A proxy filings submitted to EDGAR. The Economic Policy Institute's CEO pay analysis provides additional context on executive compensation trends across industries.
Named Executive Officers
Peer CEO Compensation
Rob Davis, CEO of Merck (MRK), earns $12.0M in total compensation. This includes base salary, stock awards, option awards, and other incentives as reported in the company's most recent DEF 14A proxy statement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rob Davis, CEO of Merck (MRK), earns $12.0M in total compensation. This includes base salary, stock awards, option awards, and other incentives as reported in the company's most recent DEF 14A proxy statement.
Merck has a Pay-for-Performance Score of B (71/100). The company's 3-year total shareholder return is +11.7%, and the say-on-pay shareholder vote passed with 94.6% approval.
The CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio at Merck is 120:1. The median worker at Merck earns $100K per year, while CEO Rob Davis earns $12.0M in total compensation.
Merck employs approximately 69,000 people. The company operates in the Pharmaceuticals industry within the Healthcare sector, generating $60.1B in annual revenue.