Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) Sets New 12-Month High on Analyst Upgrade

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD)’s share price hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday after Truist Financial raised their price target on the stock from $140.00 to $145.00. Truist Financial currently has a buy rating on the stock. Gilead Sciences traded as high as $138.03 and last traded at $137.78, with a volume of 10011170 shares. The stock had previously closed at $135.93.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. HSBC raised their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $110.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Gilead Sciences from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered Gilead Sciences from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on Gilead Sciences from $115.00 to $125.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Gilead Sciences presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $135.36.

Insider Activity at Gilead Sciences

In other news, CEO Daniel Patrick O’day sold 115,640 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total transaction of $15,611,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 566,698 shares in the company, valued at approximately $76,504,230. The trade was a 16.95% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Jeffrey Bluestone sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.50, for a total transaction of $617,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 8,920 shares in the company, valued at $1,101,620. This represents a 35.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 247,397 shares of company stock valued at $31,986,612 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Gilead Sciences

Here are the key news stories impacting Gilead Sciences this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Multiple major banks raised price targets and kept bullish ratings, increasing investor conviction that upside remains (Citigroup to $156, UBS to $155, BMO to $150, Truist to $145). Analysts cited in these notes are maintaining buy/outperform views, which supports demand for GILD. Citigroup price?target note UBS/Truist coverage BMO note
• Positive Sentiment: Press reports note GILD reached a new 1?year high on the analyst upgrade momentum — a technical trigger that can attract momentum buyers and ETFs. AmericanBankingNews article
• Neutral Sentiment: Company fundamentals and guidance remain supportive: Gilead’s most recent quarter beat EPS and revenue expectations and management set FY2025 EPS guidance (8.05–8.25), which underpins analyst optimism but is not new today. (See analyst consensus and company metrics for context.) MarketBeat company summary
• Negative Sentiment: GILD’s CEO, Daniel Patrick O’Day, sold 115,640 shares (avg $135) in a disclosed transaction — a large insider sale that may prompt concern or profit?taking among some investors despite his remaining sizeable stake. The SEC filing and trade detail are public. SEC Form 4 (insider sale) InsiderTrades report

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gilead Sciences

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in GILD. GoalVest Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences by 7,566.7% in the 2nd quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 230 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 227 shares during the last quarter. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the third quarter worth $26,000. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences in the second quarter worth $27,000. Financial Consulate Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 85.8% during the fourth quarter. Financial Consulate Inc. now owns 236 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 109 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Putney Financial Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 53.4% during the second quarter. Putney Financial Group LLC now owns 270 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

Gilead Sciences Trading Up 2.3%

The stock has a market cap of $174.90 billion, a PE ratio of 21.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 0.33. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $124.53 and a 200-day moving average price of $119.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a current ratio of 1.45.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.47 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.16 by $0.31. The business had revenue of $7.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.42 billion. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 27.88% and a return on equity of 51.86%. Gilead Sciences’s revenue was up 3.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.02 EPS. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2025 guidance at 8.050-8.250 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines in areas of high unmet medical need. The company initially built its reputation in antiviral therapies and has since expanded into oncology, cell therapy and inflammatory diseases. Gilead operates a global research and commercial organization, conducting clinical development and selling medicines in markets around the world.

Gilead’s product portfolio is anchored by antiviral therapies for HIV and viral hepatitis.