Ascentis Independent Advisors Boosts Stock Holdings in Eli Lilly and Company $LLY

Key Points

• Ascentis Independent Advisors more than doubled its stake in Eli Lilly during the first quarter, increasing holdings by 110.2% to 7,432 shares valued at about $6.84 million.
• Brokerages remain largely positive on LLY, with several firms raising price targets and the stock carrying a Moderate Buy consensus rating and average target price of $1,239.52.
• Eli Lilly reported strong quarterly results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, while also announcing a quarterly dividend of $1.73 per share payable on Sept. 10.

Ascentis Independent Advisors increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Free Report) by 110.2% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 7,432 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 3,897 shares during the period. Ascentis Independent Advisors' holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $6,837,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of LLY. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 81,965,974 shares of the company's stock valued at $88,087,193,000 after purchasing an additional 1,006,885 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 35,361,916 shares of the company's stock worth $38,002,744,000 after buying an additional 635,358 shares during the period. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 20.9% during the third quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 25,088,371 shares of the company's stock worth $19,141,787,000 after buying an additional 4,332,008 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.7% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 15,593,019 shares of the company's stock valued at $16,757,510,000 after acquiring an additional 407,166 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors lifted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 0.4% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 15,031,750 shares of the company's stock worth $16,154,619,000 after acquiring an additional 61,851 shares during the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages recently commented on LLY. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "buy (b)" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Rothschild & Co Redburn lifted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $880.00 to $900.00 in a report on Thursday, May 7th. HSBC cut Eli Lilly and Company from a "hold" rating to a "reduce" rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $1,070.00 to $850.00 in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. Jefferies Financial Group raised their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,330.00 to $1,350.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 9th. Finally, Leerink Partners boosted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,119.00 to $1,232.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 25th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have assigned a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $1,239.52.

Eli Lilly and Company News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Eli Lilly expanded its R&D footprint through a new research collaboration with Abbisko Cayman Limited, which could help deepen its pipeline and support long-term growth. Eli Lilly (LLY) Expands R And D Reach With Abbisko And China Drug Handover
• Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment remains supported by Lilly’s strong obesity and diabetes franchise, including continued enthusiasm around GLP-1 leadership, Medicare coverage momentum, and potential oral formulations that could broaden demand. Eli Lilly Stock (LLY) Opinions on Medicare Coverage and Drug Pipeline Advancements
• Neutral Sentiment: LLY remains one of the market’s most closely watched healthcare names, with multiple articles highlighting its premium valuation and ongoing debate about whether the stock can keep outperforming after a huge run-up. Eli Lilly and vs. Teva: Which Pharmaceutical Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
• Negative Sentiment: Eli Lilly also faced pressure from regulatory and pricing-policy concerns, which were cited as a reason the shares slipped even as the broader market moved higher. Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) Fell on Regulatory And Pricing Policy Challenges
• Negative Sentiment: Recent market wrap coverage noted that LLY declined while the market rose, suggesting some near-term profit-taking or valuation rotation after a strong advance. Eli Lilly (LLY) Stock Slides as Market Rises: Facts to Know Before You Trade

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Down 1.1%

Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $1,200.89 on Tuesday. Eli Lilly and Company has a fifty-two week low of $623.78 and a fifty-two week high of $1,238.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.50. The company has a market capitalization of $1.13 trillion, a P/E ratio of 42.66, a PEG ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.51. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $1,065.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $1,027.90.

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 105.77% 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. Equities research analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 35.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 14th will be given a dividend of $1.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 14th. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Eli Lilly and Company's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.58%.

Eli Lilly and 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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