Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:ELAN) Shares Cross Above 200-Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Elanco shares climbed above their 200-day moving average of $23.82, reaching as high as $26.26 and last trading at $25.65.
• Third-quarter adjusted EPS of $0.27 and revenue of $1.265 billion beat analysts’ estimates; revenue grew 11% year over year.
• The company raised its 2026 adjusted EPS and revenue outlook above consensus. Analysts’ average rating is “Moderate Buy,” with a consensus price target of $29.33.

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE:ELAN - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Friday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $23.82 and traded as high as $26.26. Elanco Animal Health shares last traded at $25.6460, with a volume of 11,505,379 shares traded.

Key Stories Impacting Elanco Animal Health

Here are the key news stories impacting Elanco Animal Health this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter adjusted EPS was $0.27, ahead of the $0.20 consensus, while revenue rose 11% year over year to $1.265 billion, topping estimates. Elanco also reported 9% organic constant-currency growth and gross-margin expansion. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Elanco raised its 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $1.17–$1.20, versus the $1.13 consensus, and revenue guidance to $5.155–$5.18 billion, above the $5.1 billion consensus. It also lifted its innovation revenue target and improved its year-end net-leverage target to about 2.9x adjusted EBITDA. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Company survey findings offered further demand support: 93% of pet owners surveyed said they maintained or increased pet spending in the prior three months despite cost pressures. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS guidance of $0.16–$0.19 brackets the $0.18 consensus, while revenue guidance of $1.2 billion matches estimates. Elanco’s early 2027 outlook calls for growth broadly in line with its previously stated long-term targets, rather than a further acceleration. Read More.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently commented on ELAN. Weiss Ratings upgraded Elanco Animal Health from a "sell (d)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a report on Friday, September 4th. UBS Group boosted their target price on Elanco Animal Health from $31.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, August 6th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Elanco Animal Health from $26.00 to $25.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 29th. KeyCorp restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Elanco Animal Health in a research report on Wednesday, September 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of Elanco Animal Health from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $31.00 to $24.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Elanco Animal Health currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $29.33.

Elanco Animal Health Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 2.05. The company's 50 day moving average price is $23.13 and its 200-day moving average price is $23.82. The company has a market cap of $12.81 billion, a PE ratio of -62.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.73.

Elanco Animal Health (NYSE:ELAN - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, November 6th. The company reported $0.27 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.20 by $0.07. Elanco Animal Health had a positive return on equity of 8.13% and a negative net margin of 3.96%. The company had revenue of $1.26 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.21 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.19 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. Elanco Animal Health has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 0.160-0.190 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 1.170-1.200 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Elanco Animal Health Incorporated will post 1.13 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider Shiv O'Neill acquired 3,998 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $23.58 per share, for a total transaction of $94,272.84. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider directly owned 87,832 shares in the company, valued at $2,071,078.56. This represents a 4.77% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Timothy Bettington sold 4,350 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.00, for a total value of $100,050.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 138,911 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,194,953. This represents a 3.04% 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 purchased a total of 48,998 shares of company stock valued at $1,139,373 over the last three months. 1.14% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Elanco Animal Health

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ELAN. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in Elanco Animal Health during the 2nd quarter worth about $1,202,198,000. Primecap Management Co. CA purchased a new stake in Elanco Animal Health in the 2nd quarter worth about $1,118,402,000. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Elanco Animal Health by 4.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 16,063,046 shares of the company's stock worth $395,312,000 after buying an additional 726,567 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company acquired a new position in Elanco Animal Health during the 2nd quarter worth about $205,636,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. raised its position in shares of Elanco Animal Health by 737.5% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 5,650,393 shares of the company's stock worth $135,214,000 after purchasing an additional 4,975,721 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.48% of the company's stock.

Elanco Animal Health Company Profile

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated is a global animal health company that develops, manufactures and markets products for pets and food-producing animals. Its portfolio is designed to help prevent and treat disease, control parasites and support the health and productivity of animals.

The company's products include vaccines, parasiticides, antibiotics, nutritional supplements and other prescription and over-the-counter therapies. Its companion animal offerings address conditions such as flea and tick infestations, internal parasites, osteoarthritis and dermatological disorders, while its farm animal products support the health of cattle, poultry, swine and aquaculture species.

Elanco serves customers in markets around the world through relationships with veterinarians, animal owners, livestock producers, retailers and distributors.

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