Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) spun off its women's health and biosimilars divisions, along with its portfolio of older drugs, into a separate company, Organon, last year so it could focus on its oncology therapies and vaccines. The move has paid off handsomely both for Merck and investors.

Merck's stock is up more than 17% this year, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen more than 20% in that same period. On top of that, Merck delivers an above-average dividend, having raised it 6% this year to $0.69 per quarter. That's the 12th consecutive year it has increased its payout.

So are Merck shares still a good deal for investors? Let's take a look.

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Source Fool.com