KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS Increases Holdings in Eli Lilly and Company $LLY

KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS boosted its position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) by 0.2% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 304,719 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 700 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company makes up approximately 0.9% of KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest holding. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS’s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $232,501,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the second quarter worth $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the second quarter valued at $29,000. Steph & Co. grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% during the 3rd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Bare Financial Services Inc lifted its holdings in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 263.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 40 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 29 shares during the period. 82.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently weighed in on LLY shares. UBS Group started coverage on Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday. They set a “buy” rating and a $1,250.00 price target for the company. Loop Capital set a $950.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Monday, November 10th. Erste Group Bank raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $830.00 to $950.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $1,169.00.

Key Stories Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

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

• Positive Sentiment: Late‑stage data: Lilly reported a trial where its weight‑loss drug Zepbound plus Taltz improved psoriatic‑arthritis symptoms and produced additional weight loss versus Taltz alone — a clinical win that could expand commercial use and bolster Zepbound’s franchise. Lilly’s Zepbound plus Taltz boosts arthritis relief, weight loss in late-stage trial
• Positive Sentiment: Distribution/DTC reach: Walmart’s new Better Care Services includes LillyDirect as a partner, increasing direct‑to‑consumer visibility and distribution options for Lilly’s digital/patient offerings. Walmart Launches Digital Destination Focused on Health and Wellness
• Positive Sentiment: M&A / diversification: Lilly agreed to buy Ventyx Biosciences for roughly $1.2B to add oral anti‑inflammatory (NLRP3) candidates — a strategic move to diversify beyond GLP‑1 obesity/diabetes products. Eli Lilly to buy Ventyx Biosciences in $1.2 billion deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst/market context: Some firms (e.g., Citigroup, Zacks) still highlight outsized upside for LLY and include it on buy lists, supporting longer‑term bullish views despite short‑term volatility. Eli Lilly Stock (LLY) Has 50% Upside, Says Citigroup
• Negative Sentiment: Legal/regulatory risk: The Indiana attorney general sued Lilly over insulin pricing, a reminder of political and litigation risks around affordability that could pressure sentiment and margins. Indiana attorney general sues Eli Lilly over insulin pricing
• Negative Sentiment: Deal uncertainty: A shareholder investigation into Ventyx’s board over the sale price (and analyst caution about NLRP3 pathway uncertainty) could create noise or drag around the acquisition’s execution and perceived value. SHAREHOLDER NOTICE: Brodsky & Smith Announces an Investigation of Ventyx Biosciences, Inc. (VTYX)
• Negative Sentiment: Profit‑taking / market rotation: LLY recently hit all‑time highs and led healthcare rallies; today’s pullback looks partly like investors trimming positions and rotating within the sector. Eli Lilly stock hits all-time high

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

LLY opened at $1,086.28 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $1,033.14 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $858.57. 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 market cap of $1.03 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 53.14, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a quick ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.42 by $0.60. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.18 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 53.9% on a year-over-year basis. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Investors of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a dividend of $1.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Company’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. This represents a $6.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Eli Lilly and Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.35%.

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

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.