Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company offers Basaglar, Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, insulin lispro protamine, insulin lispro mix 75/25, Humulin, Humulin 70/30, Humulin N, Humulin R, and Humulin U-500 for diabetes; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity. It also provides oncology products, including Alimta, Cyramza, Erbitux, Jaypirca, Retevmo, Tyvyt, and Verzenio. In addition, the company offers Olumiant for rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, severe alopecia areata, and COVID-19; Taltz for plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondylarthritis; Omvoh for ulcerative colitis; Cymbalta for depressive disorder, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and chronic musculoskeletal pain; Ebglyss for severe atopic dermatitis; and Emgality for migraine prevention and episodic cluster headache. Further, it provides Cialis for erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia; and Forteo for osteoporosis. The company operates Lilly Seaport Innovation Center (LSC), a research and development facility in the Boston Seaport to advancing Lilly's efforts in RNA and DNA-based therapies as well as discovering new drug targets to create life-changing medicines across several disease states, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, and chronic pain. It has collaborations with Incyte Corporation; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Genentech, Inc.; Biologics, Inc., AbCellera Biologics Inc.; and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. The company was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Eli Lilly and Company демонстрирует сильные финансовые показатели, но при этом сталкивается с определенными рисками, связанными с переоценкой акций. Мультипликаторы, такие как P/E и P/S, значительно превышают медианные значения по отрасли, что указывает на потенциальную переоцененность. Однако высокие показатели ROE и ROA, а также устойчивый рост выручки и чистой прибыли свидетельствуют о высокой эффективности бизнеса. Долговая нагрузка компании также вызывает опасения, так как коэффициент долга к капиталу значительно выше медианного уровня по отрасли. С другой стороны, стабильный рост EPS и прогнозов EPS подчеркивает потенциал для дальнейшего увеличения прибыли. Дивидендная доходность остается на низком уровне и в последние годы демонстрирует снижение, что может не устраивать некоторых инвесторов. В целом, несмотря на сильные операционные результаты, высокие мультипликаторы и долговая нагрузка создают необходимость в осторожном подходе к оценке акций компании.

Eli Lilly and Company

The following companies are expected to report earnings prior to market open on 04/30/2026. Visit our Earnings Calendar for a full list of expected earnings releases.
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The large cap pharmaceutical company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 6 analysts that follow the stock is $7.06. This value represents a 111.38% increase compared to the same quarter last year. LLY missed the consensus earnings per share in the 1st calendar quarter of 2025 by -5.11%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for LLY is 25.86 vs. an industry ratio of 15.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Mastercard Incorporated (MA)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The financial transactions company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 12 analysts that follow the stock is $4.40. This value represents a 17.96% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year MA has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 13.33%. Caterpillar, Inc. (CAT)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The machinery company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 10 analysts that follow the stock is $4.55. This value represents a 7.06% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for CAT is 35.73 vs. an industry ratio of 13.20, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Merck & Company, Inc. (MRK)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The large cap pharmaceutical company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $-1.51. This value represents a 168.02% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year MRK has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 0.49%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for MRK is 22.50 vs. an industry ratio of 15.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
ConocoPhillips (COP)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The oil company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $1.65. This value represents a 21.05% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. COP missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -5.56%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for COP is 14.70 vs. an industry ratio of -3.00, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Parker-Hannifin Corporation (PH)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The machinery company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $7.85. This value represents a 13.11% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year PH has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 6.99%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for PH is 31.00 vs. an industry ratio of 12.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The biomedical (gene) company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 10 analysts that follow the stock is $1.44. This value represents a 20.00% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year BMY has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 9.57%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for BMY is 9.28 vs. an industry ratio of -6.40, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Altria Group (MO)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The tobacco company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 5 analysts that follow the stock is $1.24. This value represents a 0.81% increase compared to the same quarter last year. MO missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -0.76%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for MO is 12.09 vs. an industry ratio of 13.00.
Southern Company (SO)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The electric power utilities company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $1.21. This value represents a 1.63% decrease compared to the same quarter last year. SO missed the consensus earnings per share in the 4th calendar quarter of 2025 by -1.79%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for SO is 20.61 vs. an industry ratio of 18.20, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Trane Technologies plc (TT)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The technology services company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 6 analysts that follow the stock is $2.53. This value represents a 3.27% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year TT has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 1.42%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for TT is 32.59 vs. an industry ratio of 11.50, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Quanta Services, Inc. (PWR)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The engineering company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 7 analysts that follow the stock is $1.76. This value represents a 11.39% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year PWR has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 4.33%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for PWR is 52.71 vs. an industry ratio of 11.10, implying that they will have a higher earnings growth than their competitors in the same industry.
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE)is reporting for the quarter ending March 31, 2026. The securities exchange company's consensus earnings per share forecast from the 8 analysts that follow the stock is $2.22. This value represents a 29.07% increase compared to the same quarter last year. In the past year ICE has beat the expectations every quarter. The highest one was in the 4th calendar quarter where they beat the consensus by 2.4%. Zacks Investment Research reports that the 2026 Price to Earnings ratio for ICE is 19.39 vs. an industry ratio of 22.40.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Pre-Market Earnings Report for April 30, 2026 : LLY, MA, CAT, MRK, COP, PH, BMY, MO, SO, TT, PWR, ICE

AbbVie (ABBV) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.65 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.62 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.46 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.
This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of +1.30%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this drugmaker would post earnings of $2.66 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.71, delivering a surprise of +1.88%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times.
AbbVie, which belongs to the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, posted revenues of $15 billion for the quarter ended March 2026, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.47%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $13.34 billion. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters.
The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.
AbbVie shares have lost about 13.5% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 4.3%.
What's Next for AbbVie?
While AbbVie has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?
There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.
Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.
Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for AbbVie was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and the current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $3.75 on $16.77 billion in revenues for the coming quarter and $14.24 on $67.04 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.
Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Large Cap Pharmaceuticals is currently in the bottom 31% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.
Eli Lilly (LLY), another stock in the same industry, has yet to report results for the quarter ended March 2026. The results are expected to be released on April 30.
This drugmaker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $7.06 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +111.4%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 2.9% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.
Eli Lilly's revenues are expected to be $17.62 billion, up 38.4% from the year-ago quarter.
Should You Invest in AbbVie Inc. (ABBV)?
Before you invest in AbbVie Inc. (ABBV), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
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AbbVie (ABBV) Tops Q1 Earnings and Revenue Estimates

Key Points
One analyst thinks Eli Lilly's shares boast significant upside potential.
The company's weight loss portfolio could help drive solid growth over the medium term.
There are other reasons to buy Eli Lilly's shares at current levels.
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) has established itself as the leader in the weight-loss drug market. Since this area is projected to grow significantly over the next decade, the company's outlook seems bright. However, some investors are skeptical about the drugmaker's ability to generate superior returns over the next five years. The bears will point to Eli Lilly's valuation: the company trades at 25.7x forward earnings, well above the 17x average for healthcare stocks.
Even at current levels -- and with its shares changing hands for about $870 apiece -- some people think Eli Lilly remains undervalued. Let's look at what a Wall Street analyst recently said on the topic and what it means for investors.
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A bullish outlook
Terence Flynn, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, recently reiterated an overweight (or "buy") rating on Eli Lilly stock along with a price target of $1,327. That suggests an upside of about 52% from its current levels. If Eli Lilly can reach this price target within the next year, the stock will exceed the $1 trillion mark.
Why is Flynn so bullish on the stock? Partly because of Eli Lilly's dominance in the weight loss market. This comes even in the wake of recent coverage decisions by major insurers, including CVS Health, which decided to drop coverage of Eli Lilly's Zepbound, a move that could slow the medicine's adoption. CVS Health will, instead, cover the cheaper Wegovy, marketed by Novo Nordisk.
Still, Flynn thinks that Zepbound and Eli Lilly's new weight loss oral pill, Foundayo, could generate about $31 billion in combined sales in the U.S. next year, with that number potentially rising to $45 billion in 2030. For reference, Foundayo was recently launched just weeks ago, whereas Zepbound generated worldwide revenue of $13.5 billion in 2025. If Flynn is right, we can expect attractive top-line growth for Eli Lilly through the end of the decade (and perhaps beyond).
Should you buy the stock?
CVS Health's recent coverage decision highlights one of the major risks Eli Lilly faces. There are others. The company will encounter even more competition in the coming years. That means more options for patients and third-party payers, reduced pricing power, perhaps a smaller market share, and more. Despite these potential issues, my view is that Eli Lilly remains an attractive stock to buy. Here are three reasons why. First, the company's weight-loss pipeline is second to none.
Eli Lilly boasts some candidates in development that could prove even more effective than Zepbound. Perhaps the most promising is retatrutide, a medicine currently in phase 3 studies. This investigational therapy led to a mean weight loss of 28.7% (at the highest dose) in a 68-week late-stage trial. Although it's always challenging to compare across studies, that's much better than anything Zepbound has ever accomplished in a similar amount of time in clinical trials.
Even Eli Lilly's new weight loss pill, Foundayo, looks highly promising. Besides having no food or water restrictions -- unlike its only real competitor, oral Wegovy -- it is also undergoing several phase 3 studies across other potential indications. The list includes obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and more. Additional indications should help broaden the medicine's appeal and boost its sales. So, Eli Lilly should remain the leader in this market for a while.
Second, the company has a vast pipeline outside of its core area of expertise. Eli Lilly is doubling down on fields such as oncology, neuroscience, and others. The company has improved its pipeline in these and other niches through acquisitions. If it can launch more medicines beyond diabetes and obesity, the company will be better equipped to handle the increased competition it will face in its core market. Third, Eli Lilly is an attractive dividend stock.
Don't let the company's unimpressive forward yield of 0.7% fool you -- that's largely because the stock has crushed broader equities over the past five years. Eli Lilly has increased its payouts by 103.5% in this period. Considering its fast-growing top and bottom lines and excellent income program, Eli Lilly is a great stock for growth-oriented investors and dividend seekers alike.
Should you buy stock in Eli Lilly right now?
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Is Eli Lilly Stock Undervalued at $870? 1 Top Wall Street Analyst Thinks So

Eli Lilly and Company LLY announced a definitive agreement to acquire Ajax Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech focused on developing next-generation JAK inhibitors for the treatment of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), marking the company’s second acquisition this month.
Per the deal, Lilly will pay Ajax shareholders up to $2.3 billion in cash, which includes an undisclosed upfront consideration and potential milestone-based payments tied to clinical and regulatory achievements. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.
Lilly’s Ajax buyout comes shortly after it announced a $7 billion deal for Kelonia Therapeutics, earlier this month. Lilly has already executed six M&A transactions in 2026 alone, with a significant portion focused on oncology, including earlier agreements with in vivo CAR-T developers such as Orna Therapeutics.
Year to date, shares of LLY have declined 19.2% compared with the industry’s 6.5% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Ajax Acquisition Adds AJ1-11095 to Lilly’s Oncology Pipeline
With the Ajax acquisition, LLY will acquire Ajax’s lead asset, AJ1-11095. This is an investigational, once-daily oral type II JAK2 inhibitor currently being evaluated in the phase I study, AJX-101, for patients with myelofibrosis who have previously been treated with type I JAK inhibitors.
All approved JAK2 inhibitors for MPNs, including myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera, target the type I form of JAK2 and often lose effectiveness over time. On the other hand, AJ1-11095 aims to deliver deeper and more durable responses than the existing approved JAK2 inhibitors, particularly for patients who develop resistance or lose response to type I JAK2 inhibitors. Early-stage development for the candidate commenced in late 2024, with dose selection anticipated in 2026 and proof-of-concept data expected later in 2026.
Competitive Landscape & Strategic Positioning in MPN Market
Key JAK inhibitors for myelofibrosis currently marketed are Incyte and Novartis’ NVS Jakafi/Jakavi (ruxolitinib), as well as Bristol Myers Squibb’s BMY Inrebic (fedratinib). However, Ajax’s approach could offer a differentiated mechanism with potential disease-modifying benefits, addressing a key unmet need in MPNs where durability of response remains a challenge.
Lilly’s acquisition also complements its existing immunology portfolio, which includes the JAK inhibitor Olumiant (baricitinib), already approved for multiple indications such as rheumatoid arthritis and alopecia areata.
The Ajax buyout reflects Lilly’s intent to advance AJ1-11095 into registrational clinical studies by using its own expertise in blood cancer and delivering another new medicine to patients with MPNs.
Lilly’s Zacks Rank & Stock to Consider
LLY currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
A better-ranked stock in the biotech sector is Catalyst Pharmaceuticals CPRX, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Over the past 60 days, estimates for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 earnings per share have risen from $2.59 to $2.87. Over the same period, EPS estimates for 2027 have surged from $3.01 to $3.25. CPRX shares have gained 25.5% year to date.
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 35.19%.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

LLY Expands Oncology Pipeline With $2.3B Ajax Therapeutics Acquisition

Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when Pfizer (PFE) reports results for the quarter ended March 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.
The earnings report, which is expected to be released on May 5, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.
While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on theearnings call it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.
Zacks Consensus Estimate
This drugmaker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -19.6%.
Revenues are expected to be $13.82 billion, up 0.8% from the year-ago quarter.
Estimate Revisions Trend
The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 1.73% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.
Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts.
Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
Earnings Whisper
Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.
The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.
Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.
A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.
Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).
How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Pfizer?
For Pfizer, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -5.49%.
On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.
So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Pfizer will beat the consensus EPS estimate.
Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?
Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.
For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Pfizer would post earnings of $0.57 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.66, delivering a surprise of +15.79%.
Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times.
Bottom Line
An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.
That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.
Pfizer doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.
An Industry Player's Expected Results
Among the stocks in the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, Eli Lilly (LLY), is soon expected to post earnings of $7.26 per share for the quarter ended March 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of +117.4%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $17.78 billion, up 39.7% from the year-ago quarter.
Over the last 30 days, the consensus EPS estimate for Lilly has been revised 2.8% up to the current level. Nevertheless, the company now has an Earnings ESP of -4.83%, reflecting a lower Most Accurate Estimate.
When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Lilly will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times.
Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.
Should You Invest in Pfizer Inc. (PFE)?
Before you invest in Pfizer Inc. (PFE), want to know the best stocks to buy for the next 30 days? Check out Zacks Investment Research for our free report on the 7 best stocks to buy.
Zacks Investment Research has been committed to providing investors with tools and independent research since 1978. For more than a quarter century, the Zacks Rank stock-rating system has more than doubled the S&P 500 with an average gain of +24.08% per year. (These returns cover a period from January 1, 1988 through May 6, 2024.)
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Earnings Preview: Pfizer (PFE) Q1 Earnings Expected to Decline

(RTTNews) - Profluent, an AI-first protein design company, on Tuesday announced a multi-program partnership with Eli Lilly and Company worth up ?to $2.25 billion to develop AI-designed enzymes for genetic medicines.
The deal includes an upfront payment, along with potential development and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties on net sales.
Profluent aid the collaboration aims to develop more precise and scalable DNA-editing tools by combining its AI protein design models with Lilly's expertise in genetic medicines. Profluent will design recombinases for specific genetic targets, while Lilly will have exclusive rights to develop and commercialize selected candidates.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Profluent Inks Up To $2.25 Bln Deal With Lilly For Genetic Medicines

Key Points
Novo Nordisk is partnering with an AI leader to accelerate its drug development process.
This initiative may have a meaningful impact on the business, but it will take some time to materialize.
Novo Nordisk's pipeline progress could help jolt the stock over the next few years.
Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) has been a market laggard over the past two years. The company has faced clinical setbacks and market-share losses in the weight-loss space, and now it expects its sales to decline in 2026. Is there any way back for the company? While many are looking toward potential clinical and regulatory progress that could help stage a rebound (and with good reason), Novo Nordisk recently made a move that could have a measurable impact on its business over the long run. Here's what investors need to know.
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Harnessing the power of AI
On April 14, Novo Nordisk announced that it had entered into a partnership with OpenAI. The two companies will collaborate to bring cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to the drug discovery and development process. Currently, it takes a lot of time and money for pharmaceutical companies to go from the first stages of research to commercialization. But AI could change that, at least, that's what Novo Nordisk is hoping for. By analyzing datasets with AI, the company could accelerate drug discovery and bring cheaper medicines to patients more quickly.
Novo Nordisk is also looking to harness the power of AI to improve other aspects of its business, including manufacturing. Of note, Novo Nordisk's CEO, Mike Doustdar, emphasized the importance of unleashing the power of AI to help develop medicines for patients with diabetes and obesity, the two areas where the Denmark-based pharmaceutical giant is a leader. The company has a vast amount of data from clinical trial successes and failures in these niches to feed its AI research program, which could help it develop even better drugs in these fields and solidify its position.
If Novo Nordisk's initiatives work and the company can cut the cost and time to develop drugs by even 5%, that could have a meaningful impact across the entire business. It will mean more money to pour back into R&D, more to return to shareholders, etc.
However, that could take some time to materialize. And in the meantime, Novo Nordisk could face increasingly more competition in diabetes and weight loss. It's also worth noting that Novo Nordisk's biggest rival, Eli Lilly, has built the largest AI supercomputer in the pharmaceutical industry and is doubling down on its efforts to use AI to improve its business.
What does all this mean for Novo Nordisk? Clinical progress should still be the company's most important catalyst over the medium term. Over the next few years, it could release data from clinical trials for products such as amycretin, a potential medicine for diabetes and obesity that is in phase 3 studies in both subcutaneous and oral formulations.
Another promising candidate in the works for Novo Nordisk is UBT251, an investigational weight-loss therapy that mimics the actions of three distinct gut hormones, potentially enhancing its efficacy. Outside of its core area, Novo Nordisk recently posted strong phase 3 study results for Etavopivat, an investigational medicine for sickle cell disease. Novo Nordisk may be going through a rough patch, but the company's leadership in its core area and deep pipeline make the stock a buy at current levels, at least for investors willing to be patient.
Should you buy stock in Novo Nordisk right now?
Before you buy stock in Novo Nordisk, consider this:
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Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Is This Deal a Game Changer for Novo Nordisk?

Key Points
Eli Lilly is best known for its work in the weight loss market.
The company has billion-dollar drugs in other areas.
The drugmaker continues to expand its pipeline.
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) is currently the leader in the weight loss market. Sales of the company's anti-obesity medicine, Zepbound, are growing fast. It also recently launched Foundayo, an oral GLP-1 drug that should help expand its addressable market. And Eli Lilly has several other highly promising candidates in this field. The projected rapid growth of the weight-loss drug market is a strong reason to consider the stock.
However, investors should keep in mind that other, newer anti-obesity therapies will enter the market. Even if they aren't as good as Eli Lilly's, they will at least disrupt the company's pricing power. Thankfully, Eli Lilly is well equipped to deal with these challenges over the medium term, partly thanks to an underappreciated (in my view) aspect of its business. Here's why Eli Lilly is a buy beyond its current growth pillars.
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Eli Lilly isn't a one-trick pony
Eli Lilly's tirzepatide, the compound marketed as Zepbound and also approved for Type 2 diabetes (where it is sold under the brand name Mounjaro), is setting industry records. It is already one of the best-selling compounds in the world, despite being approved for the first time not that long ago -- in 2022, to be exact. That highlights the strong demand for medicines in this niche, as well as the company's breakthroughs -- tirzepatide was the first dual GLP-1/GIP agonist approved by regulatory authorities. It's only natural that Eli Lilly should focus much of its efforts in this area.
However, the company has other products in its portfolio that, for many other pharmaceutical companies, would be key growth drivers. Consider the company's cancer treatment, Verzenio. Last year, this medicine generated $5.7 billion in sales, representing an 8% year-over-year increase. Taltz, an immunosuppressant, racked up $3.6 billion in sales, 9% higher than the previous fiscal year. Eli Lilly has other, newer products that analysts expect will eventually generate over $1 billion in annual sales. The list includes Ebglyss, an eczema treatment, Jaypirca, a cancer medicine, and Kisunla, a treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
These medicines span three therapeutic areas: Oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. Eli Lilly's ability to develop blockbuster drugs across multiple fields can help mitigate the impact of competition in its core therapeutic areas.
It's important to note that this is exactly what the company's biggest rival, Novo Nordisk, failed at. The Denmark-based pharmaceutical giant once dominated the weight-loss market. But once it lost ground to Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk's financial results worsened, and its shares fell off a cliff. That's partly because Novo Nordisk generates almost all its revenue from its diabetes or weight-loss products while being far less diversified than Eli Lilly.
Eli Lilly is still diversifying
Eli Lilly has doubled down on its diversification plans in recent years, notably by acquiring smaller biotechs or signing licensing deals. Most recently, the drugmaker announced it would acquire Kelonia Therapeutics, a privately held company, for $3.25 billion in cash, along with potential milestone payments, for a total equity value of up to $7 billion. This acquisition grants Eli Lilly access to Kelonia Therapeutics' innovative gene therapy platform, which has the potential to improve the treatment of some cancers.
This deal also strengthens Eli Lilly's genetic medicine platform, which it has improved in recent years through other acquisitions, including that of Verve Therapeutics in 2025. Meanwhile, the company is expanding its neuroscience pipeline through the acquisition of Centessa Pharmaceuticals -- a drugmaker focused on developing drugs for sleep-wake disorders -- and deepened its oncology pipeline through the buyout of Scorpion Therapeutics.
This list is not exhaustive. What does all of this tell us about Eli Lilly? The company is not only positioned to make more breakthroughs and dominate the weight-loss market even as new drugs start competing with its medicines, but it is also looking to make significant breakthroughs in other fields and drive top-line growth well after its current crop of therapies has lost patent exclusivity. Those are strong reasons to consider the stock.
Should you buy stock in Eli Lilly right now?
Before you buy stock in Eli Lilly, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Eli Lilly wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $498,522!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,276,807!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 983% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of April 27, 2026.
Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Centessa Pharmaceuticals Plc. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Forget Weight Loss Drugs: Here's An Even Better Reason to Invest in Eli Lilly

Investment banker Goldman Sachs recently raised its price target for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) shares from $400 to $435, citing the company’s increased full-year guidance, announced in its latest quarterly results release, as evidence of UnitedHealth’s long-term earnings growth potential (as cited in Investing.com).
Notably, Goldman Sachs expects UnitedHealth to return to at least 13% to 16% earnings per share growth over the next several years as it executes its business recovery.
While this upgrade, following UNH’s recently released better-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results, may tempt investors to add the stock to their portfolios immediately, a significant headwind remains on the horizon. Legislative changes enacted last year have led to major funding cuts in Medicaid for 2026, putting UNH’s Medicaid business under intense margin pressure. In fact, the company’s management has already signaled expectations for membership attrition and negative margins within this specific segment throughout the year.
However, for those who want to gain exposure to UnitedHealth’s growth while mitigating the idiosyncratic risks of its Medicaid business, diversified healthcare exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer a more prudent path. By investing in funds where UNH is a top-10 holding, investors benefit from the company's strong medical cost management and declining medical care ratio (which improved to 83.9% in the first quarter), while spreading risk across other healthcare giants in pharma, biotech and medtech industries.
Before suggesting a few such ETFs for your portfolio, let’s take a detailed look at UnitedHealth’s first-quarter performance across key metrics and how analysts from different firms reacted to this result to get a hint of the whole picture.
A Brief Analysis of UNH’s Q1 Results
UnitedHealth’s first-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 11.9%, while its revenues beat the consensus mark by 2.1%. On a year-over-year basis, the company delivered a solid performance on both counts.
Its first-quarter operating cost ratio came in at 13.8%, up year over year from 12.4%, reflecting the timing of targeted investments across operations, technology and care delivery as well as incremental investments in areas such as AI, customer experience, cybersecurity and community engagement.
UNH was successful in bringing its debt-to-capital ratio down to 42.9% by the end of the first quarter and remains on track to end this year with its goal of achieving a 40% debt-to-capital ratio.
From the viewpoint of the share buyback program, the company initiated share repurchases earlier than anticipated and expects to deploy at least $2 billion by the end of the second quarter of 2026.
As far as its Optum Rx business is concerned, UnitedHealth started 2026 by onboarding more than 800 new clients, while reducing contact call center volume 25% through enhanced digital and AI-enabled self-service, with member satisfaction reaching more than 95%.
Within areas like consumer member experience, UNH recently launched Avery, a generative AI chatbot answering member questions for UnitedHealthcare. The company aims to expand this chatbot to include over 20 million members by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, Optum Real, an AI-first platform that UNH launched a couple of quarters ago, now has 0.5 billion transactions year to date, with the company expecting to close the year at over 2.5 billion transactions.
Analysts’ Reactions
Following UNH’s Q1 results, analysts from varied firms, apart from Goldman Sachs, have upgraded their price target for this stock, showing renewed optimism in its progress.
For example, Morgan Stanley recently raised its price target on UNH from $375 to $395, while maintaining its “Overweight” rating. Other renowned institutions like Deutsche Bank raised its price target on UnitedHealth from $304 to $360, while maintaining a Hold rating, following the company’s first-quarter results.
UNH-Heavy ETFs to Watch
iShares U.S. Healthcare Providers ETF IHF
This fund, with net assets worth $738.8 million, provides exposure to 60 U.S. companies that provide health insurance, diagnostics and specialized treatment. Of these, UnitedHealth Group takes the first spot, accounting for a 26.50% share. CVS Health CVS (12.49%) and HCA Healthcare (7.38%) hold the second and third positions in this fund, respectively.
IHF charges 38 basis points (bps) in fees. It traded at a good volume of 1.24 million shares in the last trading session.
iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF IYH
This fund, with net assets worth $2.84 billion, provides exposure to 103 U.S. healthcare equipment and services, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology companies. Of these, UnitedHealth Group takes the fourth spot, accounting for a 5.99% share. Pharma giants Eli Lily LLY (13.12%), Johnson & Johnson JNJ (10.15%) and AbbVie ABBV (6.52%) hold the top three spots in this fund.
IYH charges 38 bps in fees. It traded at a volume of 0.40 million shares in the last trading session.
Vanguard Health Care ETF VHT
With net assets of $16.2 billion, this fund provides exposure to 407 companies engaged in health care equipment manufacturing, health care services, and the research, development, and marketing of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology products. Of these, UnitedHealth Group takes the fifth spot, accounting for a 3.94% share. LLY (11.89%), JNJ (9.34%) and ABBV (6.18%) hold the top three spots in this fund.
VHT charges 9 bps in fees. It traded at a volume of 0.28 million shares in the last trading session.
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iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (IYH): ETF Research Reports
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Goldman Sachs Lifts UnitedHealth Target Price: Healthcare ETFs to Watch

The first-quarter 2026 reporting cycle for the Medical sector is about to accelerate, as most companies are scheduled to release results over the next two weeks. The earnings season for the drug and biotech sector began earlier this month when pharma bellwether Johnson & Johnson reported solid first-quarter results, beating estimates for both earnings and sales. Reflecting the strong performance, J&J modestly raised its 2026 financial guidance, signaling confidence in sustained growth across both its Innovative Medicine and MedTech businesses.
Last week, Swiss pharma giant Roche reported first-quarter 2026 results, which were weighed down by unfavorable foreign-exchange movements, as weakness in the U.S. dollar adversely impacted international sales. Nonetheless, the company’s underlying operational performance was solid as robust growth in key products helped offset declining sales of legacy drugs.
Also, last week, French pharma giant Sanofi reported strong first-quarter results, beating estimates for both earnings and sales. Higher sales of blockbuster drug, Dupixent, and contributions from new products like Altuviiio and Ayvakit continued to drive the top-line growth.
Per the Zacks classification, the pharma/biotech industry falls under the broader Medical sector, comprising pharma/biotech and generic companies, and medical device companies.
Per the Earnings Trends report, as of April 22, 13.8% of the companies in the Medical sector — representing 27.5% of the sector’s market capitalization — reported quarterly earnings. Out of these, 87.5% surpassed earnings estimates, while 87.5% beat the same for revenues. Earnings increased 2% year over year, while revenues rose 3.6%. Overall, first-quarter earnings of the Medical sector are expected to decrease 7.1%, while sales are projected to rise 6.3% from the year-ago quarter.
Eli Lilly LLY, Merck MRK, AbbVie ABBV, Bristol Myers BMY and Biogen BIIB are all slated to release their first-quarter results this week. Let us examine how these biotech/pharma companies are likely to have performed in the soon-to-be-reported quarter.
Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly’s performance has been mixed, with the company exceeding earnings expectations in three of the trailing four quarters while missing on the remaining occasion. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 7.96%, on average. In the last reported quarter, LLY delivered a positive earnings surprise of 7.87%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $17.78 billion and $7.26 per share, respectively.
Per our proven model, companies with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) have a good chance of delivering an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Eli Lilly has an Earnings ESP of -4.83% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
In the first quarter of 2026, like the past few quarters, the key drivers of Lilly’s top-line growth are likely to have been its popular GLP-1 drugs, diabetes drug Mounjaro and obesity drug Zepbound, driven by high demand trends, partially offset by lower pricing.
LLY is scheduled to report its first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 30, before market open.
Eli Lilly and Company Price and EPS Surprise
Merck
Merck’s performance has been solid, with the company exceeding earnings expectations in each of the trailing four quarters. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.76%, on average. In the last reported quarter, MRK delivered an earnings surprise of 0.49%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter top line is pegged at $15.90 billion, while the same for the bottom line stands at a loss of $1.51 per share.
MRK has an Earnings ESP of +3.14% and a Zacks Rank #3, indicating a likely positive earnings surprise this time around.
Merck’s top-line growth in the first quarter is expected to be driven by higher sales of Keytruda and other oncology drugs, Animal Health and new products, which may have been partially offset by lower sales of Gardasil and some other vaccines, as well as generic competition for some key drugs.
MRK is set to report its first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 30, before market open.
Merck & Co., Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
AbbVie
AbbVie’s performance has been impressive, with its earnings exceeding expectations in each of the trailing four quarters. It delivered a trailing four-quarter average earnings surprise of 3.17%. In the last reported quarter, ABBV delivered an earnings surprise of 1.88%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $14.78 billion and $2.62 per share, respectively.
ABBV has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
AbbVie’s top-line growth in the first quarter is likely to have been driven by higher sales of newer immunology drugs, Skyrizi and Rinvoq. We expect both drugs to have expanded their market share across all approved indications.
Also, sales of the company’s flagship drug Humira are likely to have continued their downward trend due to biosimilar erosion.
ABBV is set to report first-quarter 2026 earnings on April 29, before the opening bell.
AbbVie Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Bristol Myers
Bristol Myers has an excellent track record. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 18.84%. In the previously reported quarter, the company’s earnings beat estimates by 9.57%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $10.92 billion and $1.44 per share, respectively.
BMY has an Earnings ESP of -1.02% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
In the first quarter of 2026, Bristol Myers’ top line is likely to have gained from an increase in growth portfolio sales. The growth portfolio primarily comprises sales from drugs like Opdivo, Opdivo Qvantig, Orencia, Yervoy, Reblozyl, Camzyos, Breyanzi, Opdualag, Zeposia, Abecma, Sotyku, Krazati and Cobenfy.
However, as in the previous quarters, total quarterly revenues are likely to have been adversely impacted by a decline in sales from the legacy portfolio, which includes Eliquis, Revlimid, Pomalyst, Sprycel and Abraxane, among others.
BMY is scheduled to report first-quarter 2026 results on April 30, before market open.
Bristol Myers Squibb Company Price and EPS Surprise
Biogen
Biogen’s performance has been mixed, with the company exceeding earnings expectations in three of the trailing four quarters while missing on the remaining occasion. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 19.77%, on average. In the last reported quarter, BIIB delivered a positive earnings surprise of 23.60%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter sales and earnings is pegged at $2.25 billion and $2.96 per share, respectively.
BIIB has an Earnings ESP of -1.25% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.
In the first quarter of 2026, lower sales of Biogen’s multiple sclerosis (“MS”) drugs, excluding Vumerity, are likely to have been offset by sequential revenue growth of new products. Also, sales of Biogen’s spinal muscular atrophy drug, Spinraza, are likely to have declined in the first quarter due to lower revenues in international markets.
Sales of Biogen’s newly launched drug Skyclarys for Friedreich’s ataxia are likely to have continued to improve sequentially, backed by demand growth and geographic expansion in outside U.S. markets.
BIIB will report first-quarter 2026 results on April 29, before market open.
Biogen Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.