Zacks Research Expects Lower Earnings for Gilead Sciences

Key Points

• Zacks Research cut its Q1 2026 EPS estimate for Gilead to $1.76 (from $1.81) and published a FY2026 estimate of $8.34, compared with the market consensus of $7.95.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive — 24 Buy vs. 4 Hold ratings, a consensus "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $156.77, with several firms recently raising targets.
• Gilead recently beat quarterly EPS and revenue expectations, set FY2026 guidance of $8.45–$8.85, raised its quarterly dividend to $0.82, and gained expanded public‑health commitments for its injectable HIV prevention drug lenacapavir that boost revenue visibility.

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD - Free Report) - Equities researchers at Zacks Research lowered their Q1 2026 earnings estimates for Gilead Sciences in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, April 14th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the biopharmaceutical company will earn $1.76 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $1.81. The consensus estimate for Gilead Sciences' current full-year earnings is $7.95 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Gilead Sciences' Q2 2026 earnings at $2.00 EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at $2.34 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $8.34 EPS.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on GILD. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "buy" rating and set a $170.00 price target on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $171.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, April 10th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Finally, Barclays initiated coverage on shares of Gilead Sciences in a report on Friday, February 20th. They issued an "equal weight" rating and a $155.00 price objective on the stock. Twenty-four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $156.77.

Gilead Sciences Price Performance

GILD opened at $139.77 on Thursday. Gilead Sciences has a one year low of $93.37 and a one year high of $157.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.40. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $144.86 and its 200-day simple moving average is $131.05. The stock has a market capitalization of $173.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 0.39.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.86 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.83 by $0.03. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 28.90% and a return on equity of 49.46%. 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 earnings per share. Gilead Sciences's revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.450-8.850 EPS.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Gilead Sciences

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 121,097,336 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $14,863,487,000 after purchasing an additional 2,113,692 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 1.9% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 60,240,518 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $7,393,921,000 after purchasing an additional 1,151,213 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 4.5% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 27,698,660 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $3,399,734,000 after purchasing an additional 1,195,269 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE raised its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 15.2% in 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 during the period. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the fourth quarter worth $2,617,152,000. 83.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Gilead Sciences

In related news, CFO Andrew D. Dickinson sold 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $144.23, for a total value of $432,690.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 179,191 shares in the company, valued at $25,844,717.93. This represents a 1.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Jeffrey Bluestone sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.50, for a total transaction of $617,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 8,920 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,101,620. This trade represents a 35.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 293,280 shares of company stock valued at $42,074,690. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 30th. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th were issued a $0.82 dividend. This is an increase from Gilead Sciences's previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 13th. Gilead Sciences's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 48.45%.

Key Headlines Impacting Gilead Sciences

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

• Positive Sentiment: Large public-health deals boost revenue visibility and long-term demand: PEPFAR, The Global Fund and the U.S. State Department expanded commitments for Gilead’s twice-yearly injectable HIV prevention drug lenacapavir, adding capacity to reach up to an additional 1 million people (raising total commitments to ~3 million through 2028). This supports recurring demand and institutional revenue streams for Gilead. PEPFAR and The Global Fund Make Additional Investment in Gilead's Lenacapavir US-Led Partnership To Provide 1 Mln Lenacapavir
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism: A Citigroup analyst publicly expects GILD shares to rise, which can support near-term buying interest and re-rate sentiment among investors. Gilead Sciences NASDAQ: GILD Stock Price Expected to Rise, Citigroup Analyst Says
• Neutral Sentiment: Stock movement context: Recent coverage noted that Gilead gained intraday but lagged broader market gains, reflecting mixed sentiment despite company-specific positives. This explains some muted upside versus peers. Here's Why Gilead Sciences (GILD) Gained But Lagged the Market Today
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/earnings-signal coverage: Screening tools and notes on earnings momentum include Gilead among medical names to watch ahead of results, which can drive short-term trading flows but not immediate fundamental change. Looking for Stocks with Positive Earnings Momentum? Check Out These 2 Medical Names
• Negative Sentiment: Small analyst downward revision: Zacks lowered its Q3 FY2026 EPS estimate modestly (from $2.30 to $2.25), signaling slight near-term earnings pressure or conservatism in modeling; investors may view this as a heads-up on quarter-to-quarter variability.
• Negative Sentiment: Reputational and pricing pressure: Activist group AHF publicly protested Gilead over alleged high AIDS drug pricing, a reputational risk that can attract regulatory/political scrutiny and pressure pricing in sensitive markets. Protests: AHF Blasts Gilead Over Extortionate AIDS Drug Pricing
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure in oncology: Peer Bristol Myers’ CAR-T (Breyanzi) is scaling rapidly, which tightens competition in cell therapy markets where Gilead also competes (affecting long-term franchise dynamics). Will Breyanzi's Strong Uptake Help BMY Offset Generic Competition?

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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