Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Shares Up 2.1% – Still a Buy?

Posted by Brenda Bartman on Sep 14th, 2026

Eli Lilly and Company logo Shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY – Get Free Report) traded up 2.1% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $1,153.95 and last traded at $1,138.9570. Approximately 2,113,752 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 30% from the average session volume of 3,040,423 shares. The stock had previously closed at $1,115.70.

Key Headlines Impacting Eli Lilly and Company

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

Positive Sentiment: Citigroup sees substantial upside. Citigroup initiated a Street-high price target implying approximately 45% potential upside, arguing that Lilly’s earnings momentum and obesity-drug opportunity remain underappreciated. Eli Lilly Stock Has 45% Upside, Says Citigroup
Positive Sentiment: Mounjaro and Zepbound demand remains a key growth driver. Recent earnings exceeded expectations, supported by strong patient uptake and revenue growth of nearly 48% year over year. Analysts have responded by raising price targets, with the latest median target cited at $1,350.
Positive Sentiment: Competitive pressure may be working in Lilly’s favor. Novo Nordisk’s rebranding highlights the intensifying obesity-drug battle, but coverage portrays Lilly as gaining share and pressuring its rival. Novo Rebrands to Take on Lilly
Neutral Sentiment: Novartis’s pelacarsen setback has limited direct impact. The failure could alter parts of the broader pharmaceutical pipeline landscape, but analysts expect little immediate effect on Lilly’s core obesity and diabetes franchises. Novartis Drug Race Update
Negative Sentiment: Competition and product execution remain concerns. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill reportedly has gained traction faster than Lilly’s Foundayo, potentially challenging Lilly’s oral obesity-drug growth outlook. Novo Nordisk May Outpace Eli Lilly
Negative Sentiment: Insider selling is a cautionary signal. Four Lilly executives sold shares during the past six months, with no reported insider purchases. Ohio regulators are also seeking to curb unauthorized versions of an experimental Lilly weight-loss drug, creating potential safety and reputational risks. Ohio Moves Against Unapproved Weight-Loss Drugs

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have weighed in on LLY shares. UBS Group set a $1,376.00 price target on Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,250.00 to $1,500.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $1,419.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “buy (b)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 26th. Finally, Leerink Partners lifted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,119.00 to $1,232.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, June 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-four have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,295.39.

Get Our Latest Analysis on LLY

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Up 2.1%

The firm has a market capitalization of $1.07 trillion, a PE ratio of 38.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.35, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.41. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $1,183.67 and a two-hundred day moving average of $1,073.30.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported $8.38 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.40 by $1.98. The firm had revenue of $22.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $20.82 billion. Eli Lilly and Company had a return on equity of 97.83% and a net margin of 33.53%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 47.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $6.31 earnings per share. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 35.500-36.500 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Eli Lilly and Company will post 36.53 EPS for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Friday, August 14th were given a dividend of $1.73 per share. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 14th. Eli Lilly and Company’s dividend payout ratio is 23.22%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Eli Lilly and Company

In related news, EVP Patrik Jonsson sold 6,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,175.10, for a total value of $7,638,150.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 54,147 shares in the company, valued at approximately $63,628,139.70. This represents a 10.72% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, EVP Anat Hakim sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,190.00, for a total value of $5,950,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 11,875 shares in the company, valued at $14,131,250. This trade represents a 29.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold a total of 13,500 shares of company stock valued at $15,958,170 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.14% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of LLY. Osbon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Basso Capital Management L.P. acquired a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. Maseco LLP boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 466.7% in the first quarter. Maseco LLP now owns 34 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 28 shares during the period. Aventus Investment Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 270.0% during the 1st quarter. Aventus Investment Advisors Inc. now owns 37 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 60.0% during the 1st quarter. Marshall & Sterling Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 40 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets medicines for a range of medical conditions. Its portfolio includes treatments for diabetes and obesity, oncology, immunology, neuroscience, cardiovascular disease and other areas of significant unmet medical need.

The company’s products include Mounjaro and Trulicity for diabetes, Zepbound for chronic weight management, and insulin products such as Humalog. Lilly also markets Verzenio for certain breast cancers and Kisunla for the treatment of early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease.