XML 61 R38.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Share-Based Compensation Plans (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract] |
Assumptions Used to Determine Weighted-Average Fair Value of Options Granted | The weighted average fair value of options granted in 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $7.04, $5.89 and $6.46 per option, respectively, and were determined using the following assumptions:
Years Ended December 31 | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Expected dividend yield | 3.6 | % |  | 3.8 | % |  | 4.1 | %
Risk-free interest rate | 2.0 | % |  | 1.4 | % |  | 1.7 | %
Expected volatility | 17.8 | % |  | 19.6 | % |  | 19.9 | %
Expected life (years) | 6.1 |  |  | 6.2 |  |  | 6.2 |
Summarized Information Relative to Stock Option Plan Activity | Summarized information relative to stock option plan activity (options in thousands) is as follows:
| Number of Options |  | Weighted Average Exercise Price |  | Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (Years) |  | Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Outstanding January 1, 2017 | 45,091 |  |  | $ | 44.47 |  |  |  |  |
Granted | 4,232 |  |  | 63.88 |  |  |  |  |
Exercised | (11,512 | ) |  | 43.38 |  |  |  |  |
Forfeited | (1,537 | ) |  | 51.78 |  |  |  |  |
Outstanding December 31, 2017 | 36,274 |  |  | $ | 46.77 |  |  | 4.89 |  | $ | 397 |
Exercisable December 31, 2017 | 26,778 |  |  | $ | 42.54 |  |  | 3.64 |  | $ | 384 |
Additional Information Pertaining to Stock Option Plans | Additional information pertaining to stock option plans is provided in the table below:
Years Ended December 31 | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Total intrinsic value of stock options exercised | $ | 236 |  |  | $ | 444 |  |  | $ | 332 |
Fair value of stock options vested | 30 |  |  | 28 |  |  | 30 |
Cash received from the exercise of stock options | 499 |  |  | 939 |  |  | 485 |
Summary of Nonvested RSU and PSU Activity | A summary of nonvested RSU and PSU activity (shares in thousands) is as follows:
|  | RSUs |  | PSUs
|  | Number of Shares |  | Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value |  | Number of Shares |  | Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Nonvested January 1, 2017 |  | 13,266 |  |  | $ | 57.19 |  |  | 1,744 |  |  | $ | 59.24 |
Granted |  | 5,014 |  |  | 63.85 |  |  | 1,008 |  |  | 63.62 |
Vested |  | (3,795 | ) |  | 58.13 |  |  | (833 | ) |  | 62.71 |
Forfeited |  | (876 | ) |  | 58.22 |  |  | (51 | ) |  | 60.24 |
Nonvested December 31, 2017 |  | 13,609 |  |  | $ | 59.32 |  |  | 1,868 |  |  | $ | 60.03 |

X
- Definition Additional information pertaining to stock option plans. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mrk_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsAdditionalDisclosuresTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | mrk_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisclosureOfCompensationRelatedCostsSharebasedPaymentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure for share-based compensation plans. Includes, but is not limited to, outstanding awards at beginning and end of year, grants, exercises, forfeitures, and weighted-average grant date fair value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationActivityTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure for stock option plans. Includes, but is not limited to, outstanding awards at beginning and end of year, grants, exercises, forfeitures, and weighted-average grant date fair value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationStockOptionsActivityTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Tabular disclosure of the significant assumptions used during the year to estimate the fair value of stock options, including, but not limited to: (a) expected term of share options and similar instruments, (b) expected volatility of the entity's shares, (c) expected dividends, (d) risk-free rate(s), and (e) discount for post-vesting restrictions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (f)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfShareBasedPaymentAwardStockOptionsValuationAssumptionsTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration