Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Shares Gap Up – Still a Buy?

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s share price gapped up before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $1,009.52, but opened at $1,047.02. Eli Lilly and Company shares last traded at $1,047.7380, with a volume of 651,029 shares traded.

Trending Headlines about Eli Lilly and Company

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rival trial miss reinforces Lilly’s clinical edge and likely market share gains — investors are re‑pricing demand in Lilly’s favor after Novo Nordisk said its next‑generation obesity drug failed to demonstrate non‑inferiority to Lilly’s tirzepatide in an 84‑week study; Novo shares plunged and Lilly shares gained on the news. Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug falls short against Eli Lilly’s in Copenhagen trial
• Positive Sentiment: FDA approval and launch of a multi‑dose Zepbound KwikPen reduces patient friction and could improve retention/adherence — Lilly will sell the month‑long pen at the same self‑pay price, widening choice and potentially supporting longer treatment duration and sales stability. Zepbound now available in multi-dose KwikPen (PR Newswire)
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional/hedge‑fund buying lifted flows into ETFs concentrated in mega‑caps including Lilly — positioning by large investors can amplify upward momentum in the stock. Hedge Funds’ Mag 7, Eli Lilly Buying Spree Sparks Massive ETF Accumulation
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts/upgrades continue to support the narrative — recent price‑target raises and positive outlook notes (e.g., Erste Group, other street coverage) back the bullish consensus but are reiterations rather than new catalysts. Erste Group Bank Has Positive Outlook of LLY FY2026 Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Large historical insider selling and some institutional rebalancing are noted in data services — while not new, continued disclosure of heavy insider sales or big fund position shifts could be an ongoing watch‑item for risk‑aware investors. Eli Lilly rises as rival obesity-drug trial data strengthen tirzepatide’s edge (Quiver Quant)

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

LLY has been the subject of several analyst reports. CICC Research increased their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,060.00 to $1,107.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Zacks Research cut Eli Lilly and Company from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $1,260.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Thursday, February 5th. Wolfe Research lifted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,050.00 to $1,250.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Guggenheim cut their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,163.00 to $1,161.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 20th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have given a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,228.54.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 4.0%

The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $1,054.83 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $917.84. The firm has a market cap of $990.08 billion, a PE ratio of 45.78, a PEG ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.39. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.54.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 4th. The company reported $7.54 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $7.48 by $0.06. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 102.94% and a net margin of 31.66%.The firm had revenue of $19.29 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.85 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $5.32 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 42.6% on a year-over-year basis. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 33.500-35.000 EPS. On average, 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 30.15%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LLY. Maryland Capital Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 84.2% in the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Steph & Co. boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% during 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 owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.