Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Cut to Buy at Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Sunday morning.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on LLY. Bank of America boosted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,251.00 to $1,334.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Berenberg Bank lifted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $1,135.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, June 22nd. Guggenheim boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,235.00 to $1,273.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 13th. UBS Group set a $1,376.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,300.00 to $1,400.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have assigned a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $1,292.18.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Down 1.2%

NYSE:LLY opened at $1,231.96 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,184.69 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1,062.54. The stock has a market cap of $1.16 trillion, a P/E ratio of 41.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.51. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $712.05 and a 1 year high of $1,292.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.35.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $8.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.40 by $1.98. The business had revenue of $22.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.82 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 97.83% and a net margin of 33.53%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 47.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.31 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 35.500-36.500 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 36.35 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th will be issued a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 14th. Eli Lilly and Company’s dividend payout ratio is currently 23.22%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,185.01, for a total transaction of $2,370,020.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 1,526 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,808,325.26. The trade was a 56.72% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Patrik Jonsson sold 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,175.10, for a total value of $7,638,150.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 54,147 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $63,628,139.70. This trade represents a 10.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 13,500 shares of company stock valued at $15,958,170 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Osbon Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Basso Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Maseco LLP lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 466.7% during the 1st quarter. Maseco LLP now owns 34 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the period. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 342.9% during the 4th quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 31 shares of the company’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the period. Finally, Aventus Investment Advisors Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 270.0% during the 1st quarter. Aventus Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 37 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the company’s stock.

Key Eli Lilly and Company News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Foundayo expands internationally: Lilly launched its once-daily oral obesity and diabetes drug Foundayo (orforglipron) in U.K. pharmacies, giving the company another market and a needle-free alternative to injectable GLP-1 drugs. The commercial opportunity is significant, although private-pay access and future reimbursement will determine the financial impact. Lilly Gains as Foundayo Crosses the Atlantic Without a Needle
• Positive Sentiment: Alzheimer’s diagnostic clearance: The FDA cleared an Alzheimer’s blood test developed by Roche and Lilly to help identify signs of disease in people aged 55 and older with cognitive decline. The approval broadens Lilly’s commercial reach beyond diabetes and obesity, though revenue contributions may take time to develop. Roche, Eli Lilly’s Alzheimer’s blood test gets FDA clearance
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional support and growth outlook: Citadel reportedly nearly quadrupled its Lilly position to roughly $1.1 billion, signaling confidence in the company’s long-term growth. Recent earnings also showed exceptionally strong revenue and profit growth, supporting management’s higher 2026 outlook. Eli Lilly Stock in Focus as Hedge Fund Titan Ken Griffin Quadruples Position
• Neutral Sentiment: Pipeline progress remains early: Lilly completed Phase 1 studies for experimental candidates LY4395089 and LY3549492. The updates support pipeline development but provide limited near-term earnings visibility because both programs remain far from potential commercialization. Lilly’s LY4395089 Interaction Study Marks Quiet but Important Early-Stage Progress
• Negative Sentiment: Coverage concerns weigh on demand expectations: Some companies continue to classify obesity medicines as optional treatments and are declining to cover their costs. Limited insurance coverage could constrain patient access, pricing power, and the pace of Foundayo and other GLP-1 sales growth. Eli Lilly Stock Rattled as Companies Decline to Cover Weight-Loss Drug Costs
• Negative Sentiment: High valuation raises the bar: With Lilly valued above $1 trillion and trading at a premium earnings multiple, investors may be taking profits or waiting for clearer evidence that obesity-drug growth can justify expectations. Broader weakness in healthcare stocks added to the pressure. Eli Lilly Stock Raised Its Forecast, So Why Is the Market Shrugging?

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.