Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Stock Price Up 2.8% on Analyst Upgrade

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) shares rose 2.8% during mid-day trading on Friday after Guggenheim raised their price target on the stock from $1,161.00 to $1,168.00. Guggenheim currently has a buy rating on the stock. Eli Lilly and Company traded as high as $1,053.00 and last traded at $1,050.3940. Approximately 4,230,290 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 26% from the average daily volume of 3,365,929 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,022.02.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on LLY. Scotiabank reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $1,300.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, February 5th. National Bank Financial set a $1,286.00 price target on Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, December 1st. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $1,260.00 price objective on Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. CICC Research boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,060.00 to $1,107.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Loop Capital set a $1,200.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating and five have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,229.59.

Key Stories Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Topline ACHIEVE‑3 results for type 2 diabetes showed meaningful A1C and weight benefits for Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 in a head‑to‑head setting, reinforcing the drug’s commercial and regulatory potential. Lilly reports ACHIEVE-3 trial outcomes for type 2 diabetes
• Positive Sentiment: Detailed Phase 3/Lancet results show orforglipron outperformed oral semaglutide on A1C and weight in ACHIEVE‑3, strengthening Lilly’s case for market share and supporting upcoming regulatory timelines (U.S. obesity decision possible in Q2). Orforglipron Lancet results PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: CHMP issued a positive opinion for expanded EU use of Olumiant (baricitinib) in adolescents with severe alopecia areata — a near‑term regulatory win that expands labeled indications and revenue opportunities in Europe. Olumiant CHMP positive opinion PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: RBC Capital initiated coverage with an Outperform and $1,250 PT, signaling institutional confidence in Lilly’s obesity leadership; coupled with recent price‑target increases from other shops, this boosts investor conviction. RBC Capital initiates Eli Lilly
• Positive Sentiment: High‑profile media/TV endorsements (e.g., Jim Cramer recommending Lilly over Novo Nordisk) are supportive for retail flows and sentiment toward LLY. Jim Cramer Recommends Eli Lilly
• Neutral Sentiment: Reuters published additional trial safety data giving a more detailed picture of side effects — useful context for regulators and investors but not a clear negative or positive on balance. Reuters: additional data on weight-loss pill
• Neutral Sentiment: Health‑care stocks broadly moved higher today, which can amplify sector leaders’ moves but may reflect macro/flow dynamics rather than company‑specific fundamentals. Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Higher
• Negative Sentiment: Smaller rivals (e.g., Viking Therapeutics) and other entrants remain active in the obesity space — a potential long‑term competitive risk that could pressure pricing and market share over time. Viking Therapeutics profile

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LLY. Instrumental Wealth LLC raised its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 18.4% during the 4th quarter. Instrumental Wealth LLC now owns 399 shares of the company’s stock valued at $408,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Groupama Asset Managment increased its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 9.3% during the fourth quarter. Groupama Asset Managment now owns 97,556 shares of the company’s stock valued at $104,516,000 after purchasing an additional 8,333 shares during the period. BDFS Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter valued at about $240,000. Tempo Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the fourth quarter worth about $945,000. Finally, Thryve Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $523,000. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $990.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 45.77, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.39. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $1,053.15 and its 200 day simple moving average is $930.04. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.58.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $7.54 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.48 by $0.06. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 31.66% and a return on equity of 102.94%. The company had revenue of $19.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.85 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $5.32 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 42.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 33.500-35.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be paid a $1.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Company’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. Eli Lilly and Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 30.15%.

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A.