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

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen upgraded Eli Lilly from a "buy" to a strong-buy, while MarketBeat's consensus remains a Moderate Buy with an average analyst target of about $1,218.93 and several banks raising price targets.
• Lilly posted a Q1 beat—EPS $8.55 vs. $6.97 and revenue $19.8B vs. $17.82B—and raised FY2026 guidance to EPS $35.50–37.00 and revenue $82–85B, driving recent stock strength.
• Upside catalysts include early traction for oral GLP‑1 Foundayo and FDA proposals that could limit compounding, but risks persist from Novo Nordisk's oral rollout, PBM/pricing pressure, regulatory friction, and a stretched valuation.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Saturday.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on LLY. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,150.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. HSBC downgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a "hold" rating to a "reduce" rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $1,070.00 to $850.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. BMO Capital Markets restated an "outperform" rating and set a $1,300.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. CICC Research raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,060.00 to $1,107.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, TD Cowen raised their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $960.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and Company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,218.93.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 3.3%

Shares of NYSE:LLY opened at $965.19 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $911.93 billion, a PE ratio of 42.06, a P/E/G ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54. Eli Lilly and Company has a twelve month low of $623.78 and a twelve month high of $1,133.95. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $947.05 and a 200-day simple moving average of $984.98.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The company reported $8.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.97 by $1.58. The firm had revenue of $19.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.82 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 115.33% and a net margin of 34.98%.The firm's quarterly revenue was up 55.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.34 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 35.500-37.000 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 33.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Eli Lilly and Company

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 84.2% during the 3rd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 35 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 16 shares during the period. Basso Capital Management L.P. acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, 10Elms LLP lifted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 33.3% during the 3rd quarter. 10Elms LLP now owns 40 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 10 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Eli Lilly and Company News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results and guidance boost: Lilly reported roughly $19.8B revenue and $8.55 non‑GAAP EPS (well above consensus), raised 2026 revenue guidance to $82–85B and lifted EPS guidance to $35.50–37 — a primary driver of the rally. Eli Lilly raises annual profit forecast as GLP-1 drugs fuel growth
• Positive Sentiment: Foundayo (oral GLP‑1) early traction: Foundayo — the first oral GLP‑1 with no food/water timing restrictions — has seen early prescriptions (management cites >20,000 patients), supporting longer‑term market share and convenience advantages versus rivals. Lilly's Double-Beat Widens the GLP-1 Gap—And a New Pill Could Make It Permanent
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory tailwind for pricing/protection: The FDA proposed excluding key GLP‑1 active ingredients from the compounding bulk list — a move that would limit cheaper mass compounding and help protect branded volumes/pricing. US FDA proposes excluding weight-loss drugs from compounding list
• Positive Sentiment: Street upgrades and higher price targets: Major banks raised price targets and reiterated buy/overweight ratings after the results and guidance, supporting momentum from institutional analysts. Cantor Fitzgerald raises PT
• Neutral Sentiment: Novo’s oral rollout increases scrutiny: Novo Nordisk is expanding its oral GLP‑1 presence (rebranded Rybelsus/Ozempic pills across many pharmacies), a development investors will watch but which hasn’t flipped the narrative away from Lilly yet. Novo Launches Ozempic Pills Across 70,000 US Pharmacies
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation and long‑term upside debate: Several analyses highlight a tension between Lilly’s strong top‑line growth and a stretched valuation after multi‑year gains; some see material upside if GLP‑1 momentum persists, others caution about multiple compression risk. Eli Lilly Stock’s Path To 30% Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive and pricing pressure risks remain: PBM/insurer negotiation, faster ramps from rivals and longer‑term generic/compounding threats could pressure realized prices and margin expansion — a risk highlighted in market commentary despite the quarter’s beat. Fast Money panel on Novo vs Lilly
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory / stakeholder friction: Hospital groups have pushed back on certain Lilly data/340B requests, which could create policy or reimbursement friction to monitor. AHA urges HHS to block Lilly 340B data demands

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.

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