Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Upgraded to Strong-Buy at Freedom Capital

Freedom Capital upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Guggenheim dropped their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,163.00 to $1,161.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Loop Capital set a $1,200.00 price target on Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Tuesday. HSBC restated a “hold” rating and issued a $1,070.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,290.00 to $1,313.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, February 5th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,217.71.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Eli Lilly and Company stock opened at $1,015.48 on Tuesday. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52-week low of $623.78 and a 52-week high of $1,133.95. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $1,051.24 and its 200 day moving average is $903.76. The company has a market cap of $960.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.25, a PEG ratio of 0.94 and a beta of 0.39.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $7.54 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $7.48 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $19.29 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $17.85 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 31.66% and a return on equity of 112.50%. The business’s revenue was up 42.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $5.32 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 33.500-35.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $1.73 dividend. This is a boost from Eli Lilly and Company’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 13th. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.7%. Eli Lilly and Company’s dividend payout ratio is currently 26.14%.

Institutional Trading of Eli Lilly and Company

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 84.2% in the third quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 35 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 16 shares during the period. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Steph & Co. grew its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% in the third quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Lilly agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics for up to $2.4 billion, adding circular‑RNA and in‑vivo CAR‑T capabilities to diversify beyond GLP‑1s and bolster its next‑gen RNA/cell therapy pipeline. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Lilly advanced obesity and cardiometabolic candidates: eloralintide moved into Phase 3 (expanding its obesity franchise) and solbinsiran showed Phase 2 progress in high‑risk cholesterol — both increase future revenue optionality. Read More. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Strong fundamentals: 2025 results and management guidance underpin upside (large revenue/EPS jumps and 2026 guidance lifted), supporting long‑term earnings growth expectations. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying: Fisher Asset Management increased its stake, signaling confidence from a major investor. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Lilly inked a partnership with gene‑editing start‑up Seamless Therapeutics to broaden R&D approaches — potential upside, but early and dilutive timelines make near‑term impact uncertain. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple bullish commentaries and buy‑thesis pieces highlight secular GLP‑1 leadership and pipeline depth — helpful for sentiment but not new fundamental data. Read More. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and momentum risk: after a >60% six‑month rally and a high multiple, investors may be booking gains; stretched valuation raises sensitivity to any slowdown in GLP‑1 adoption or clinical setbacks. Read More.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A.