Rakuten Securities Inc. Reduces Position in Eli Lilly and Company $LLY

Key Points

• Rakuten Securities Inc. trimmed its Eli Lilly stake by 65% in Q4, selling 3,426 shares and retaining 1,841 shares worth about $1.98 million, according to its SEC filing.
• Eli Lilly beat Q4 estimates with $7.54 EPS and $19.29 billion revenue (up 42.6% YoY), set FY2026 guidance of roughly 33.5–35.0 EPS, and has a market cap near $820.7 billion (PE ~37.85).
• Management is actively diversifying beyond GLP‑1s, agreeing to acquire Ajax Therapeutics for up to $2.3 billion to strengthen its blood‑cancer pipeline, even as its oral GLP‑1 Foundayo faces early competition from Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

Rakuten Securities Inc. trimmed its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Free Report) by 65.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,841 shares of the company's stock after selling 3,426 shares during the period. Rakuten Securities Inc.'s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $1,978,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 84.2% in the 3rd quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 35 shares of the company's stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 16 shares during the period. 10Elms LLP raised 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 buying an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. Miller Global Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, Hopwood Financial Services Inc. lifted its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 113.6% during the 3rd quarter. Hopwood Financial Services Inc. now owns 47 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.53% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

LLY has been the topic of a number of research reports. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $1,300.00 price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,293.00 to $1,294.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, April 2nd. Wall Street Zen downgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Tuesday, March 10th. Finally, Freedom Capital raised Eli Lilly and Company from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have given a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $1,216.52.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE LLY opened at $868.59 on Tuesday. The company's fifty day moving average price is $955.40 and its 200 day moving average price is $985.96. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $623.78 and a 1 year high of $1,133.95. The company has a market capitalization 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. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a current ratio of 1.58.

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

Key Stories Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

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)

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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