Simplify Asset Management Inc. Lowers Stake in Gilead Sciences, Inc. $GILD

Key Points

• Simplify Asset Management cut its stake in Gilead Sciences by 37.7% in the fourth quarter, leaving it with 37,479 shares valued at about $4.6 million.
• Gilead recently posted stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $2.03 topping estimates and revenue of $6.96 billion, up 4.4% year over year. The company also announced a $0.82 quarterly dividend payable on June 29, implying a 2.4% yield.
• Recent business developments are broadly positive, including FDA accelerated approval for Hepcludex in hepatitis delta virus, a positive European opinion for Trodelvy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, and completion of the Tubulis acquisition to strengthen its oncology pipeline.

Simplify Asset Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD - Free Report) by 37.7% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 37,479 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock after selling 22,707 shares during the period. Simplify Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in Gilead Sciences were worth $4,600,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 121,097,336 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $14,863,487,000 after purchasing an additional 2,113,692 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in Gilead Sciences by 12.0% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 15,139,681 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,680,505,000 after buying an additional 1,618,453 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc increased its stake in Gilead Sciences by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 10,210,599 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,133,376,000 after buying an additional 414,454 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its position in Gilead Sciences by 5.9% in the 3rd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 7,148,405 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $793,506,000 after buying an additional 400,002 shares during the period. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB boosted its position in Gilead Sciences by 16.5% in the 4th quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 5,138,699 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $630,056,000 after buying an additional 726,101 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.67% of the company's stock.

Gilead Sciences Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:GILD opened at $134.36 on Monday. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a 52 week low of $104.46 and a 52 week high of $157.29. The company's 50 day moving average is $136.27 and its two-hundred day moving average is $133.73. The company has a current ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89. The company has a market cap of $166.82 billion, a PE ratio of 18.31 and a beta of 0.31.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.12. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 48.19%. The company had revenue of $6.96 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.91 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.81 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at -1.050--0.650 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post -0.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Gilead Sciences Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 29th. Investors of record on Monday, June 15th will be given a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, June 15th. Gilead Sciences's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.69%.

Gilead Sciences News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Gilead Sciences this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The U.S. FDA granted accelerated approval to Hepcludex (bulevirtide-gmod) for chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV), making it the first and only approved treatment in the U.S. for this rare and serious liver disease. That opens a new commercial opportunity in a high-unmet-need market. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Gilead also received a CHMP positive opinion in Europe for Trodelvy in first-line metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, supporting broader international adoption of one of its key oncology products. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Gilead completed its Tubulis acquisition, adding next-generation antibody-drug conjugate assets and strengthening its oncology pipeline. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts at Zacks Research raised near-term EPS estimates for some periods and maintained strong longer-term profit expectations, which can support investor confidence in Gilead’s earnings outlook. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Gilead announced a renewed collaboration with the World Health Organization to help eliminate visceral leishmaniasis, a public-health initiative that is strategically positive but likely not an immediate stock driver. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Some analyst updates trimmed certain 2026–2028 earnings estimates, which may temper enthusiasm around the stock’s longer-term growth rate, even as recent product news remains favorable. Article Title

Analyst Ratings Changes

GILD has been the subject of several recent research reports. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Tuesday, March 10th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $180.00 price target for the company. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $145.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Barclays initiated coverage on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Friday, February 20th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $155.00 price target for the company. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Twenty-five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $156.93.

Insider Activity at Gilead Sciences

In related news, CFO Andrew D. Dickinson sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.27, for a total value of $396,810.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 173,191 shares of the company's stock, valued at $22,907,973.57. This trade represents a 1.70% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Daniel Patrick O'day sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $129.16, for a total transaction of $1,291,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 632,567 shares in the company, valued at $81,702,353.72. This trade represents a 1.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 63,000 shares of company stock valued at $8,523,570 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines in areas of high unmet medical need. The company initially built its reputation in antiviral therapies and has since expanded into oncology, cell therapy and inflammatory diseases. Gilead operates a global research and commercial organization, conducting clinical development and selling medicines in markets around the world.

Gilead's product portfolio is anchored by antiviral therapies for HIV and viral hepatitis.

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