Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) Given Consensus Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Key Points

• Analyst consensus: 28 analysts give Gilead a "Moderate Buy" consensus with an average 12‑month price target of about $157.62, and multiple firms (JPMorgan, TD Cowen, Cantor Fitzgerald, BMO) recently raised their targets.
• Gilead beat quarterly estimates—EPS $1.86 vs. $1.83 and revenue $7.93B vs. $7.68B—and set FY2026 guidance of $8.45–$8.85 EPS versus analysts' ~7.95 estimate.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.82 (annualized $3.28, yield ~2.3%, payout ratio 48.5%), while insiders sold shares recently even as large institutional investors significantly increased positions, leaving institutions owning 83.67% of the stock.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-eight research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $157.6154.

Several brokerages have weighed in on GILD. Citigroup reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Friday, March 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Cantor Fitzgerald increased their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, January 26th.

Gilead Sciences Stock Performance

Shares of GILD stock opened at $139.71 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $173.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.64, a PEG ratio of 1.83 and a beta of 0.39. The business has a 50 day moving average of $145.09 and a two-hundred day moving average of $129.40. Gilead Sciences has a 52 week low of $93.37 and a 52 week high of $157.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.40, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.03. Gilead Sciences had a return on equity of 49.46% and a net margin of 28.90%.The business had revenue of $7.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $7.68 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.90 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.450-8.850 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Gilead Sciences will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th were given a dividend of $0.82 per share. This is a boost from Gilead Sciences's previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 13th. Gilead Sciences's payout ratio is presently 48.45%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Gilead Sciences news, CFO Andrew D. Dickinson sold 3,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Monday, March 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $144.23, for a total transaction of $432,690.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 179,191 shares in the company, valued at approximately $25,844,717.93. The trade was a 1.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Daniel Patrick O'day sold 115,640 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total value of $15,611,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 566,698 shares in the company, valued at $76,504,230. This trade represents a 16.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 299,280 shares of company stock valued at $42,820,550. 0.27% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gilead Sciences

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter worth about $2,617,152,000. Ameriprise Financial Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 397.6% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 6,748,403 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $748,147,000 after acquiring an additional 5,392,191 shares in the last quarter. Boston Partners acquired a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $517,808,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences by 3,763.8% during the fourth quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 4,223,304 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $518,368,000 after acquiring an additional 4,113,999 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 15.2% during the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 23,121,620 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $2,837,948,000 after purchasing an additional 3,046,688 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.67% of the company's stock.

About Gilead Sciences

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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