Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Stock Price Up 3.6% – Here’s What Happened

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s stock price was up 3.6% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $1,081.33 and last traded at $1,078.9780. Approximately 3,644,777 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 18% from the average daily volume of 3,095,516 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,041.29.

Key Stories Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

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

• Positive Sentiment: FDA grants Breakthrough Therapy designation to sofetabart (mipitecan) for certain platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer patients — a meaningful regulatory acceleration for an oncology candidate that could add a new high‑value revenue stream if approved. Lilly’s sofetabart mipitecan receives U.S. FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy designation
• Positive Sentiment: SURMOUNT‑REAL UK phase 4 study update tests tirzepatide in a real‑world obesity population — progress that supports commercial durability and label expansion for Lilly’s obesity franchise. Lilly’s SURMOUNT-REAL UK Trial: Real-World Test of Tirzepatide’s Obesity Upside
• Positive Sentiment: Retatrutide trial shows potential linkage between obesity treatment and knee osteoarthritis symptom relief — an indication expansion that could broaden patient populations and lengthen treatment duration. Eli Lilly’s Retatrutide Trial Links Obesity Treatment With Knee Osteoarthritis Relief Potential
• Positive Sentiment: New Phase 2 oral candidate for diabetic neuropathic pain advances Lilly’s pain pipeline — diversification beyond GLP‑1s that investors view as adding long‑term growth optionality. Eli Lilly Expands Its Pain Pipeline With New Phase 2 Trial in Diabetic Nerve Pain
• Positive Sentiment: Several bullish analyst pieces highlight LLY’s leadership in GLP‑1 obesity/diabetes drugs and longer‑term earnings growth, supporting investor optimism ahead of results. Eli Lilly: Buy Ahead Of Its Earnings Day (Preview)
• Neutral Sentiment: Lilly confirmed its Q4 2025 results and conference call date (Feb. 4) — a scheduled catalyst that could drive short‑term volatility around guidance and commentary. Lilly confirms date and conference call for fourth-quarter 2025 financial results announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst target tweak: Guggenheim slightly trimmed its price target while keeping a buy rating — a modest signal but not a major change to consensus bullishness. LLY: price target lowered by Guggenheim
• Neutral Sentiment: Rumors of an Abivax takeover by Lilly were publicly dismissed by Abivax’s CEO — market noise that briefly affected small‑cap peers but is not company‑driving for Lilly. Abivax CEO dismisses ‘noise’ around rumored Eli Lilly bid
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive risk: commentary on Novo Nordisk’s new CEO raising the rivalry could pressure sentiment around pricing, marketing and market share in GLP‑1s. That competition is a medium‑term headwind investors watch closely. Novo Nordisk: How Inspiring New CEO Will Take Fight To Key Rival Eli Lilly In 2026

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have weighed in on LLY. CICC Research boosted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $801.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. Berenberg Bank upped their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $830.00 to $950.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. HSBC reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $1,070.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,174.61.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.02 trillion, a P/E ratio of 52.79, a PEG ratio of 0.78 and a beta of 0.35. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $1,053.86 and its 200 day moving average price is $875.14.

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

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

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

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of LLY. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 22.0% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 9,597 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,409,000 after purchasing an additional 1,730 shares during the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 1,471 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,136,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. KFG Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 7.3% in the 2nd quarter. KFG Wealth Management LLC now owns 457 shares of the company’s stock valued at $356,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the last quarter. IronOak Wealth LLC. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,032,000. Finally, Lederer & Associates Investment Counsel CA boosted its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 8.6% during the second quarter. Lederer & Associates Investment Counsel CA now owns 2,755 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,148,000 after purchasing an additional 217 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.53% of the company’s stock.

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.