Arizona State Retirement System Trims Position in Eli Lilly and Company $LLY

Key Points

• Arizona State Retirement System reduced its Eli Lilly stake by 2.7% in Q4, selling 6,368 shares and now holding 228,869 shares worth $245.96 million (1.3% of its portfolio and its 11th largest holding).
• Eli Lilly beat Q1 estimates with $7.54 EPS versus $7.48 expected and $19.29 billion in revenue (up 42.6% YoY), and set FY2026 guidance of 33.50–35.00 EPS with analysts forecasting about 33.9.
• Lilly agreed to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion to bolster its blood‑cancer pipeline, while analysts remain mostly positive (consensus "Moderate Buy" and a $1,216.52 price target) despite some near‑term concerns and a recent price‑target cut by Leerink.

Arizona State Retirement System lessened its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Free Report) by 2.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 228,869 shares of the company's stock after selling 6,368 shares during the quarter. Eli Lilly and Company accounts for 1.3% of Arizona State Retirement System's portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Arizona State Retirement System's holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $245,961,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 84.2% during the third quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 35 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 16 shares during the last quarter. 10Elms LLP increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 33.3% during the third quarter. 10Elms LLP now owns 40 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Miller Global Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Hopwood Financial Services Inc. increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 113.6% during the third quarter. Hopwood Financial Services Inc. now owns 47 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after buying an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $868.59 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $955.40 and a 200-day moving average price of $985.96. 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 cap of $820.66 billion, a PE ratio of 37.85, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.05 and a beta of 0.51. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $623.78 and a 1 year high of $1,133.95.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $7.54 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $7.48 by $0.06. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 31.66% and a return on equity of 102.94%. The firm had revenue of $19.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $17.85 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $5.32 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 42.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 33.500-35.000 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 33.9 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Lilly agreed to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion, adding AJ1-11095, a first‑in‑class Type II JAK2 inhibitor for myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera; the deal bolsters Lilly’s blood‑cancer pipeline and comes with Phase 1 data milestones later in 2026. Eli Lilly to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion (Reuters)
• Positive Sentiment: April marks a continued buying spree for Lilly—this is at least the second oncology acquisition this month—signaling management’s deliberate push to diversify beyond GLP‑1s and build durable oncology revenues. Lilly Bets Again on Blood Cancer With Second Acquisition This Month (Yahoo)
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer flagged Lilly as a company that “will tell a good story” heading into earnings despite recent controversy, reflecting that broadcasters and some investors expect management to present positive near‑term messaging. Jim Cramer Says Eli Lilly “Will Tell a Good Story When It Reports” (Yahoo)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts and preview pieces highlight that Q1 earnings will be pivotal: GLP‑1 demand, pricing pressure, and Foundayo launch trends are key metrics to watch when Lilly reports. Will These 5 Drug Bigwigs Surpass Q1 Earnings Forecasts? (Zacks)
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader sector M&A (e.g., Organon/Sun Pharma) is keeping investor focus on consolidation in pharma, which can support valuation multiples for active acquirers like Lilly. Organon Rides the Pharma M&A Wave With Sun Takeover (Yahoo)
• Negative Sentiment: Prescription data show Lilly’s oral Foundayo trailing Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill at a similar launch stage, raising concerns about market share, launch momentum and near‑term revenue upside for Lilly’s obesity franchise. GLP-1 pill race heats up as Wegovy tablet holds strong against Lilly rival (Proactive)
• Negative Sentiment: Leerink Partners cut its price target on LLY from $1,296 to $1,058 while maintaining an outperform rating, a signal that at least some analysts see more near‑term downside or muted upside versus prior expectations. Leerink Partners adjusts PT on Eli Lilly (MarketScreener)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have commented on LLY. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Berenberg Bank upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $950.00 to $1,050.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Guggenheim upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,163.00 to $1,183.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. Rothschild & Co Redburn upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $875.00 to $880.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. 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 given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,216.52.

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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