Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) CFO Andrew Dickinson Sells 3,000 Shares of Company Stock

Key Points

• Gilead CFO Andrew Dickinson sold 3,000 shares at an average price of $156.22, worth $468,660, under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. He continues to own 161,096 shares directly.
• Gilead shares were trading near record highs at $156.19, with a market capitalization of approximately $193.7 billion. The stock has gained momentum as investors rotate toward defensive pharmaceutical companies.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $159.33, while the company reported quarterly revenue of $7.8 billion and maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) CFO Andrew Dickinson sold 3,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.22, for a total value of $468,660.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 161,096 shares in the company, valued at approximately $25,166,417.12. This represents a 1.83% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Gilead Sciences Trading Down 0.7%

NASDAQ:GILD traded down $1.18 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $156.19. 7,762,254 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,823,515. The firm's fifty day moving average is $146.73 and its 200-day moving average is $137.15. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a 12-month low of $114.02 and a 12-month high of $160.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $193.67 billion, a P/E ratio of -58.50 and a beta of 0.31. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($6.75) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($7.25) by $0.50. Gilead Sciences had a negative net margin of 10.64% and a negative return on equity of 2.11%. The company had revenue of $7.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.40 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.01 earnings per share. Gilead Sciences's quarterly revenue was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post -0.47 EPS for the current year.

Gilead Sciences Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 29th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Gilead Sciences's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -122.85%.

Key Stories Impacting Gilead Sciences

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

• Positive Sentiment: Oncology pipeline strengthened: Gilead agreed to collaborate with Vir Biotechnology on next-generation T-cell engagers (TCEs) for solid tumors. Gilead will receive exclusive development and commercialization rights, while Vir contributes its immunology and antibody-engineering platform. The agreement covers three potential cancer therapies and could provide Vir up to approximately $1.74 billion in milestone payments, or about $1.9 billion including other deal components. The partnership gives Gilead access to a potentially important cancer-treatment technology and complements its earlier investment in TCEs through the acquisition of Ouro Medicines. Gilead and Vir forge $1.9bn pact to develop next-gen T-cell engagers
• Positive Sentiment: Defensive-sector rotation: Investors have been shifting toward large pharmaceutical companies as a technology-stock selloff increases demand for companies viewed as more defensive. Gilead, along with other major drugmakers, has been trading near record levels, helping reinforce positive momentum and investor interest. Big pharma stocks near all-time highs as tech selloff pushes investors toward safer bets
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains mixed: Recent coverage highlights conflicting views on Gilead’s prospects. Increased searches and investor attention may support trading activity, but the reports do not identify a clear consensus change in earnings expectations or price targets. Analysts Have Conflicting Sentiments on These Healthcare Companies
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and technical risks: With GILD near its recent highs, the stock may be vulnerable to profit-taking if the broader defensive rotation fades or if investors question the long-term commercial potential of the early-stage TCE programs. The partnership also entails milestone payments that depend on successful development.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently commented on GILD. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Gilead Sciences from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, September 19th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Gilead Sciences from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 29th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on Gilead Sciences from $150.00 to $158.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. HSBC upped their target price on Gilead Sciences from $155.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Gilead Sciences from $160.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. Twenty-three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six 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 price target of $159.33.

Institutional Trading of Gilead Sciences

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new position in Gilead Sciences in the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Kimelman & Baird LLC purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC boosted its position in Gilead Sciences by 60.0% in the 4th quarter. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the period. Finally, Toth Financial Advisory Corp grew its stake in Gilead Sciences by 85.5% in the 3rd quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 217 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. 83.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc NASDAQ: GILD is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes medicines for serious and life-threatening diseases. Its research and commercial activities focus primarily on virology, including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, as well as oncology, inflammation and other areas of significant unmet medical need.

Gilead's portfolio includes HIV treatments such as Biktarvy, Descovy, Genvoya and Sunlenca; hepatitis therapies including Epclusa, Harvoni and Vemlidy; and Veklury (remdesivir), an antiviral used to treat COVID-19 in certain patients.

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