Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Stock Price Up 9% After Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Key Points

• Stock jump and earnings beat: Eli Lilly shares rose about 9% after reporting Q1 EPS of $8.55 versus $7.26 expected and revenue of $19.8B versus $17.61B, and it raised FY‑2026 guidance to EPS $35.50–37.00 and revenue $82–85B.
• GLP‑1 strength and R&D optionality: Strong sales of Zepbound and Mounjaro (tirzepatide franchise), CEO‑reported early uptake of oral GLP‑1 Foundayo (~20,000 users), and an up‑to ~$2.25B AI/gene‑editing partnership support continued growth beyond current products.
• Analyst support and key risks: Several firms raised price targets (average target ~$1,216.52), but investors should watch competition from generics/cheaper alternatives, mixed third‑party launch data for Foundayo, and potential regulatory/operational headwinds.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) shares rose 9% on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $927.74 and last traded at $927.5060. Approximately 2,710,109 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 13% from the average daily volume of 3,103,757 shares. The stock had previously closed at $851.21.

The company reported $8.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.26 by $1.29. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 31.66% and a return on equity of 102.94%. The company had revenue of $19.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $17.61 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $3.34 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 55.5% on a year-over-year basis. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 35.500-37.000 EPS.

Trending Headlines about Eli Lilly and Company

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat and raised guidance — LLY reported $8.55 EPS and $19.8B revenue, well above estimates, and raised FY‑2026 revenue and EPS guidance (revenue $82–85B; EPS 35.50–37.00). That combination is the main driver of today’s upside. Eli Lilly Obliterates Sales Forecasts By $2 Billion, Shares Surge
• Positive Sentiment: Strong GLP‑1 sales — Zepbound and Mounjaro volumes surged (Zepbound ~ $4.2B in Q1; tirzepatide franchise growth >50% YoY), underpinning margins and revenue upside. Eli Lilly profits more than double as weight-loss drug sales soar
• Positive Sentiment: Foundayo early uptake claim — CEO said more than 20,000 people are taking the new oral GLP‑1 Foundayo in initial weeks, supporting long‑term growth expectations for an oral obesity option. More than 20,000 people are taking Eli Lilly's weight loss pill, CEO says
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline and tech deal — Lilly signed a multi‑year, up‑to ~$2.25B partnership to use AI/recombinases for gene editing (Profluent), expanding R&D optionality beyond GLP‑1s. Investors view this as value‑accretive optionality. Eli Lilly Signs Up To $2.25 Billion AI Gene Editing Deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Foundayo not reflected in Q1 numbers — investors want launch metrics, but Q1 results don’t include Foundayo sales; market is pricing expectations into future quarters. Eli Lilly investors are eager for Foundayo insight after early launch data
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst activity and positioning — some firms have raised price targets and upgrades ahead of/after the print, supporting momentum; options positioning and broader macro (Fed/tech earnings) also influence intraday moves. Guggenheim Raises PT on Eli Lilly (LLY) Amid Several Acquisition Deals
• Negative Sentiment: Competition and generics risk — Canada approved generic weight‑loss drugs and other cheaper competitors loom, which could pressure pricing and market share over time. Eli Lilly Stock (LLY) Falls as Canada Approves Generic Weight-Loss Drugs
• Negative Sentiment: Mixed early Foundayo data and social‑media chatter — third‑party tracking and forum data showed weaker early prescriptions versus rivals in some weeks, creating near‑term skepticism despite CEO comments. Eli Lilly Stock (LLY) Opinions on Foundayo Pill Launch
• Negative Sentiment: Regulatory/operational friction — AHA urged blocking Lilly’s 340B data demands, highlighting potential policy/regulatory headwinds that could draw scrutiny or cost. AHA urges HHS to block Eli Lilly’s 340B data demands: 5 things to know

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LLY has been the topic of several recent research reports. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,200.00 to $1,280.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Guggenheim boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,163.00 to $1,183.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Loop Capital set a $1,200.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, February 24th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $1,250.00 price target on the stock. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,150.00 to $1,300.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $1,216.52.

Institutional Trading of Eli Lilly and Company

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. 10Elms LLP increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 33.3% during the third quarter. 10Elms LLP now owns 40 shares of the company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.7% during the fourth quarter. M.E. Allison & CO. Inc. now owns 1,477 shares of the company's stock worth $1,587,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Tanager Wealth Management LLP increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Tanager Wealth Management LLP now owns 395 shares of the company's stock worth $424,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Morey & Quinn Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Morey & Quinn Wealth Partners LLC now owns 661 shares of the company's stock worth $710,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the period. Finally, Wealthspan Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Wealthspan Partners LLC now owns 2,110 shares of the company's stock worth $2,268,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

The stock's 50 day moving average is $948.77 and its two-hundred day moving average is $985.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a current ratio of 1.58 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $876.81 billion, a PE ratio of 40.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.03 and a beta of 0.51.

About Eli Lilly and Company

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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