Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) Sets New 12-Month High After Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Bristol Myers Squibb shares reached a new 52-week high of $67.10, rising 2.7% after Weiss Ratings upgraded the stock from “hold” to “hold (c+).” Despite the move, analysts’ consensus rating remains “Hold,” with an average price target of $63.24.
• The company reported strong quarterly results, with EPS of $2.04 and revenue of $12.97 billion exceeding analyst estimates. Management issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $6.75–$7.00.
• Reported merger discussions with AstraZeneca are a major catalyst, but no definitive agreement exists. Regulatory, financing, valuation, integration and strategic-rationale risks could still derail or alter any potential transaction.

Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY - Get Free Report) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Monday after Weiss Ratings upgraded the stock from a hold (c) rating to a hold (c+) rating. The stock traded as high as $67.10 and last traded at $67.10, with a volume of 785009 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $65.31.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Raymond James Financial reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $59.00 price objective (up from $54.00) on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Friday. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Wells Fargo & Company set a $65.00 target price on Bristol Myers Squibb and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on Bristol Myers Squibb from $60.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Friday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $63.24.

Key Stories Impacting Bristol Myers Squibb

Here are the key news stories impacting Bristol Myers Squibb this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Reported merger talks with AstraZeneca are the main catalyst. Because BMY’s market value is substantially smaller than AstraZeneca’s, investors may anticipate a premium or other favorable deal terms if negotiations progress. Reuters article on AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb merger talks
• Positive Sentiment: The deal speculation follows Bristol Myers Squibb’s strong quarterly performance: earnings of $2.04 per share exceeded the $1.60 consensus estimate, while revenue of $12.97 billion topped the $11.74 billion forecast. Management also issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $6.75-$7.00. Bristol Myers earnings and guidance article
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains a secondary tailwind, with Truist reiterating a Buy rating and one report citing a price-target increase to $73. Truist reiterates Buy rating on Bristol Myers Squibb
• Neutral Sentiment: The potential combination would be one of the largest pharmaceutical transactions ever, but reports describe discussions—not a definitive agreement. Regulatory review, financing, valuation, and integration risks could still prevent or materially change the deal. Analysts have also questioned the strategic rationale. MarketWatch analysis of AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb talks

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bristol Myers Squibb

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BMY. Swiss RE Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its position in Bristol Myers Squibb by 73.5% in the 4th quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 477 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 202 shares in the last quarter. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Bristol Myers Squibb during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Bayban purchased a new stake in Bristol Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, EQ Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in the 4th quarter worth $32,000. Institutional investors own 76.41% of the company's stock.

Bristol Myers Squibb Trading Up 2.7%

The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $58.02 and a 200 day simple moving average of $58.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a current ratio of 1.53. The firm has a market cap of $137.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.17 and a beta of 0.22.

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.60 by $0.44. Bristol Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 66.90% and a net margin of 18.87%.The firm had revenue of $12.97 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.74 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.46 earnings per share. The company's quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.750-7.000 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bristol Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Stockholders of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be paid a $0.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 2nd. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.8%. Bristol Myers Squibb's payout ratio is currently 55.51%.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, focused on discovering, developing and delivering medicines for serious diseases. The company's core activities include research and development, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. BMS concentrates on advancing therapies in oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease and specialty areas through both small molecules and biologics.

BMS's marketed portfolio and late‑stage pipeline reflect a strong emphasis on cancer and immune‑mediated conditions.

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