Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Rating Increased to Strong-Buy at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Eli Lilly and Company has been upgraded from a "buy" to a "strong-buy" rating by Wall Street Zen, reflecting positive sentiment among investment analysts.
• The company's latest earnings report exceeded expectations, with a reported $6.31 EPS and revenue of $15.56 billion, marking a 37.6% increase year-over-year.
• Despite fluctuating analyst ratings, Eli Lilly retains a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy", with a current average price target of $950.17.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report issued on Friday.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Hsbc Global Res lowered shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a "strong-buy" rating to a "moderate sell" rating in a research note on Monday, April 28th. UBS Group lowered their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $895.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 8th. Wells Fargo & Company restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, May 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,010.00 to $900.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 11th. Finally, DZ Bank upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Buy rating, seven have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $950.17.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:LLY opened at $710.7290 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $754.70 and a 200-day moving average of $790.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $672.68 billion, a PE ratio of 46.45, a PEG ratio of 0.99 and a beta of 0.44. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. Eli Lilly and Company has a 12 month low of $623.78 and a 12 month high of $972.48.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 7th. The company reported $6.31 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $5.59 by $0.72. The business had revenue of $15.56 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $14.40 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 25.91% and a return on equity of 92.72%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 37.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.92 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 21.750-23.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Daniel Skovronsky bought 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $634.40 per share, with a total value of $634,400.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the executive vice president directly owned 137,660 shares of the company's stock, valued at $87,331,504. This trade represents a 0.73% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director J Erik Fyrwald purchased 1,565 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 12th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $642.33 per share, for a total transaction of $1,005,246.45. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 74,578 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $47,903,686.74. This represents a 2.14% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders purchased 4,514 shares of company stock valued at $2,894,841 in the last three months. Insiders own 0.13% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Eli Lilly and Company

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. WestEnd Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 210.0% during the 1st quarter. WestEnd Advisors LLC now owns 31 shares of the company's stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 21 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter worth $27,000. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Bare Financial Services Inc increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 263.6% in the second quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 40 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 82.53% of the company's stock.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

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