Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) Lowered to "Hold" Rating by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Gilead Sciences to “Hold” from “Buy,” though broader analyst sentiment remains favorable with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $157.93.
• Gilead’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with EPS of $2.03 versus the $1.91 consensus and revenue of $6.96 billion, up 4.4% year over year.
• Insiders sold 67,000 shares worth $8.69 million over the past 90 days, while institutional investors own 83.67% of the company; investors are also watching potential Trodelvy expansion and upcoming second-quarter results.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Saturday.

Several other research firms have also commented on GILD. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, April 17th. Leerink Partners lowered shares of Gilead Sciences from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and reduced their price target for the stock from $146.00 to $127.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Maxim Group raised shares of Gilead Sciences from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $165.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 20th. Finally, Truist Financial cut their target price on Gilead Sciences from $157.00 to $156.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 7th. Twenty-five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $157.93.

Gilead Sciences Stock Performance

GILD opened at $130.21 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $161.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.74 and a beta of 0.32. Gilead Sciences has a 52-week low of $108.46 and a 52-week high of $157.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a current ratio of 1.97. The business's fifty day moving average is $129.61 and its 200-day moving average is $135.87.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.03 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.91 by $0.12. Gilead Sciences had a return on equity of 48.19% and a net margin of 30.99%.The company had revenue of $6.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.91 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.81 earnings per share. Gilead Sciences's revenue was up 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at -1.050--0.650 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Gilead Sciences will post -0.78 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Gilead Sciences

In other news, CEO Daniel Patrick O'day sold 15,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $131.46, for a total transaction of $1,971,900.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 617,567 shares in the company, valued at approximately $81,185,357.82. The trade was a 2.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CFO Andrew D. Dickinson sold 3,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.40, for a total value of $376,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 171,646 shares of the company's stock, valued at $21,524,408.40. This represents a 1.72% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 67,000 shares of company stock worth $8,687,140. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Gilead Sciences

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. now owns 3,887 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $477,000 after purchasing an additional 67 shares during the period. Essex Financial Services Inc. raised its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. now owns 7,724 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $948,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Davidson Trust Co. lifted its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences by 4.1% in the 1st quarter. Davidson Trust Co. now owns 1,879 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $262,000 after purchasing an additional 74 shares during the period. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC lifted its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC now owns 6,619 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $812,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares during the period. Finally, Personal CFO Solutions LLC boosted its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC now owns 4,572 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $561,000 after purchasing an additional 76 shares in the last quarter. 83.67% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Gilead Sciences

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

• Positive Sentiment: European regulators issued a positive opinion supporting expanded use of Gilead’s Trodelvy with Keytruda for certain patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer. The potential label expansion could broaden Trodelvy’s commercial opportunity and strengthen Gilead’s oncology pipeline. Gilead Sciences Following Trodelvy Progress and a Fair Value Debate
• Positive Sentiment: Several analyses remain favorable on GILD. One investment article argues that investors should “buy the distortion” ahead of second-quarter results, while another says the stock still appears inexpensive after delivering roughly 130% total return over five years. Gilead: Buy the Distortion Before Q2 Clears It Up Gilead Stock Stays Cheap on Its Five-Year Run
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor attention is focused on Gilead’s second-quarter 2026 results. Preview articles highlight Wall Street expectations for revenue, earnings and operating metrics, but they do not provide a confirmed earnings surprise. Wall Street Projections for Gilead’s Q2 Metrics
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains broadly supportive, with reports noting Gilead’s market outperformance and bullish views on its prospects. However, heightened investor attention alone is not a fundamental catalyst. Do Wall Street Analysts Like Gilead Sciences Stock?
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group Bank reduced its fiscal 2027 earnings-per-share estimate for Gilead, raising concerns about the company’s future earnings growth. Erste Group Bank Cuts Gilead FY2027 EPS Estimate
• Negative Sentiment: Barclays lowered its Gilead price target to $145. Although the revised target remains above the stock’s referenced trading level, the reduction signals more limited near-term upside and is likely weighing on sentiment. Barclays Lowers Gilead Price Target

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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