Saratoga Research & Investment Management Cuts Stake in Eli Lilly and Company $LLY

Key Points

• Saratoga Research & Investment Management reduced its Eli Lilly stake by 21.6% in the fourth quarter, selling 13,304 shares and ending with 48,155 shares valued at about $51.8 million.
• Eli Lilly delivered a strong first quarter, reporting EPS of $8.55 versus $6.97 expected and revenue of $19.8 billion versus $17.82 billion expected, with revenue up 55.5% year over year.
• Analysts remain broadly bullish: Barclays raised its price target to $1,400, while the consensus price target sits at $1,218.33 with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall.

Saratoga Research & Investment Management lowered its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Free Report) by 21.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 48,155 shares of the company's stock after selling 13,304 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company comprises 2.7% of Saratoga Research & Investment Management's investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th biggest position. Saratoga Research & Investment Management's holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $51,751,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of LLY. Cidel Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 26.5% in the 3rd quarter. Cidel Asset Management Inc. now owns 26,726 shares of the company's stock valued at $20,392,000 after purchasing an additional 5,591 shares during the last quarter. Spire Wealth Management boosted its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.2% in the 4th quarter. Spire Wealth Management now owns 27,719 shares of the company's stock valued at $29,789,000 after purchasing an additional 592 shares during the last quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 25.6% in the 3rd quarter. Coldstream Capital Management Inc. now owns 42,418 shares of the company's stock worth $32,365,000 after acquiring an additional 8,659 shares during the last quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 30.8% in the 4th quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 31,145 shares of the company's stock worth $33,471,000 after acquiring an additional 7,338 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 3.5% in the 3rd quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 165,165 shares of the company's stock worth $126,022,000 after acquiring an additional 5,595 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the company's stock.

Key Eli Lilly and Company News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised its FY2026 EPS estimate for Eli Lilly, lifting its forecast to $36.30 per share from $36.06 and above the broader consensus of $35.80, signaling continued earnings momentum.
• Positive Sentiment: Guggenheim recently boosted Lilly’s price target by $52 after the company’s strong first-quarter results, reinforcing the view that analysts see more upside after another blowout quarter.
• Positive Sentiment: Media coverage continues to highlight Lilly as one of the most watched stocks, with commentary pointing to its dominant position in the weight-loss drug market and ongoing bullish investor interest. Article: Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Positive Sentiment: Several reports pointed to Lilly’s expanding pipeline, including new and advancing trials in ALS, GI disease, and immuno-dermatology, which adds optionality beyond its core diabetes and obesity franchises.
• Positive Sentiment: Investor sentiment also got a boost from headlines calling Lilly a potential bull-market leader and suggesting the stock could approach $1,100 if momentum continues. Article: Is Eli Lilly Going To $1,100?
• Neutral Sentiment: Lilly and UNICEF announced a $50 million partnership tied to the company’s 150th anniversary, which may help its ESG profile and public image, but the direct earnings impact appears limited in the near term.
• Neutral Sentiment: Some articles were mainly awareness pieces or broad market commentary rather than company-specific catalysts, so they are unlikely to be major stock drivers on their own.
• Negative Sentiment: Broader market commentary warned that the S&P 500 may be due for a correction, which could create short-term pressure on high-multiple growth stocks like Lilly if risk appetite fades.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $1,005.20 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $946.63 billion, a PE ratio of 35.71, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.48. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52-week low of $623.78 and a 52-week high of $1,133.95. The company has a quick ratio of 1.10, a current ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.26. The company's 50 day moving average is $939.88 and its two-hundred day moving average is $997.00.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY - Get Free Report) last released its 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 company had revenue of $19.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.82 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 34.98% and a return on equity of 105.77%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 55.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $3.34 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 35.500-37.000 EPS. On average, research analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 35.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, June 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 15th will be given a $1.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 15th. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.7%. Eli Lilly and Company's dividend payout ratio is currently 24.58%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently commented on LLY. Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,350.00 to $1,400.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, May 4th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Saturday, May 2nd. CICC Research upped their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,060.00 to $1,107.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Bank of America decreased their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,294.00 to $1,133.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, HSBC lowered shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a "hold" rating to a "reduce" rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $1,070.00 to $850.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 17th. Two investment 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 given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Eli Lilly and Company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $1,218.33.

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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