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.

For Eli Lilly, the picture is strong in terms of business quality, but the valuation already looks very demanding. Revenue, EBITDA, operating profit, and net income have all grown significantly over the years, confirming the устойчивый growth of the commercial base and the scaling of the business. Margins have also improved: operating margin rose to 43.63%, net margin to 34.99%, while gross margin remains at a very high level above 82%, which points to strong pricing power and manufacturing efficiency. Returns on capital and assets look outstanding: ROE is 101.18%, ROA 22.73%, and ROI 39.62%, which usually supports a premium to the sector. At the same time, leverage remains noticeable: debt/equity is 1.54, long-term debt is about $39.37 billion, and both current and quick liquidity are below the industry median, so the balance sheet cannot be called risk-free. This is especially important because the company is already trading at very high multiples: P/E 32.62, P/S 14.91, P/B 37.08, and P/FCF 90.63, all of which are significantly above the industry median. This combination means the market is already pricing in strong earnings growth and sustained high margins, leaving limited room for further multiple expansion. The positive side is that forecast EPS and actual EPS are rising, and profitability is not deteriorating, so the fundamentals remain intact. But dividend yield is virtually absent, so investors get almost all of the upside through share price appreciation rather than cash flow. In the end, the fundamentals justify a premium valuation, but not one high enough to aggressively raise the target. For investors, this is a story of high-quality growth with strong operating momentum, but already stretched valuation and moderate balance-sheet risks.

Eli Lilly and Company

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, flat. The market is on the bulls' side.

Средний индекс, незначительно упал. Приток средств в лонги снизился, но остается положительным.

Medium index, slightly down. The inflow of funds into longs has decreased, but remains positive.

Strong growth in revenue and profit with outstanding profitability, but very expensive valuation multiples and moderate liquidity risks limit re-rating potential.

Key Points
Revolution Medicines has a promising cancer drug in development.
Even with this medicine's prospects, the stock's valuation looks too frothy.
Shares of Revolution Medicines (NASDAQ: RVMD), a clinical-stage drugmaker, have gained 132% this year, easily outpacing the returns of leading pharmaceutical companies such as Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), and AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV). The question now is whether Revolution Medicines can keep the momentum going. Let's find out whether there is more upside ahead.
The valuation is a stumbling block
First, let's give credit where credit is due. Revolution Medicines is trying to revolutionize the oncology market, and it might just pull it off. The company is developing drugs that target cancer-driving proteins once considered "undruggable," offering the potential to precisely block the genetic errors that fuel tumors and create new treatment options for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.
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Revolution Medicines' clinical trial results have been outstanding so far, particularly for its leading candidate, daraxonrasib. To give one example, daraxonrasib beat the current standard of care, cytotoxic chemotherapy, in a head-to-head study in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Daraxonrasib posted a median overall survival rate -- an important endpoint in cancer clinical trials -- of 13.2 months, versus 6.7 months with cytotoxic chemotherapy. This medicine appears destined for stardom. It should generate well over $1 billion in sales at its peak. Revolution Medicines has several other promising candidates in the pipeline.
However, one problem with the stock is its valuation. The company is worth $39 billion despite having no products on the market and being consistently unprofitable. The market is pinning significant hopes on Revolution Medicines' oncology prospects, and this may be justified. However, at current levels, I wouldn't buy the stock, as a major clinical or regulatory setback, particularly with daraxonrasib, could sink the share price. The current valuation assumes near-perfect execution, and that makes the stock too risky.
Revolution Medicines may prove me wrong and beat the market from current levels. But I am more than comfortable passing up the chance, considering its risk-reward profile. If the stock dips significantly, I might consider it then.
Should you buy stock in Revolution Medicines right now?
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Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie and Eli Lilly. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson. 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.

Meet the Stock That's Obliterating Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and AbbVie Right Now

Key Points
Novo Nordisk has several promising GLP-1 medicines in its pipeline that will help it remain a leader in this market.
Becton, Dickinson is capitalizing on the rising demand for prefillable syringes driven by the GLP-1 boom.
Dexcom markets devices that could gain popularity alongside GLP-1 drugs.
The first GLP-1 medicine was approved in the U.S. in 2005 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Since then, breakthroughs have occurred in the field. Medicines in this class are now indicated for chronic weight management, obstructive sleep apnea, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, and other conditions. Analysts predict that the market for GLP-1 drugs will expand rapidly over the next decade, and several companies could capitalize on it. Let's consider three corporations whose businesses may benefit from the GLP-1 boom to invest in today: Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO), Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX), and Dexcom (NASDAQ: DXCM).
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1. Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk has been a pioneer in the GLP-1 market. The company's Ozempic and Wegovy -- two GLP-1 medicines -- have become household names. However, the Denmark-based pharmaceutical giant has lost significant market share to its main competitor in this niche, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY). That said, Novo Nordisk can still capitalize on the GLP-1 boom over the medium term. In January, Novo Nordisk launched oral Wegovy, the first GLP-1 pill approved for weight loss, and it has been a smashing success. This is a niche of the industry where Novo Nordisk is even beating Eli Lilly. Novo Nordisk also has several products in the pipeline that could gain approval within a few years, helping cement its market position.
The list includes Amycretin, a dual GLP-1 and amylin agonist. Amycretin has shown highly promising results in early stage studies for weight loss and diabetes, and it could prove even more effective than Wegovy in phase 3 clinical trials. Beyond its core therapeutic area, Novo Nordisk is gradually building a stronger business elsewhere, especially in rare blood diseases. The company has achieved significant clinical wins in this field. Over the next few years, Novo Nordisk could bounce back from the issues it has faced and deliver solid returns, largely thanks to its work in the GLP-1 space.
2. Becton, Dickinson
The past five years have been rough for Becton, Dickinson, a medical device specialist. Slow revenue and earnings growth have led to terrible stock market performances for the company. However, Becton, Dickinson is slowly turning things around, and its exposure to the GLP-1 market may help. Becton, Dickinson is a leading manufacturer of self-injection systems (such as prefillable syringes) that patients use to take GLP-1 medicines. As demand for these drugs continues to expand, Becton, Dickinson is also seeing growing sales from that side of its business. Earlier this year, the company announced long-term deals with major pharmaceutical companies for two next-gen GLP-1 programs, which highlights that it has a runway for growth that extends years into the future.
Becton, Dickinson is investing more to ensure it can tap into this opportunity. In January, it announced a $110 million investment to expand its manufacturing capacity. The company is well-positioned to ride this tailwind, and there are other reasons to buy the stock, especially the dividend. Becton, Dickinson is a Dividend King, a corporation with 50 (or more) years of consecutive dividend increases. The GLP-1 opportunity should help boost sales growth, and Becton, Dickinson's dividend program is likely to remain intact over the long run.
3. Dexcom
Dexcom is a major player in the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) market, helping patients with diabetes track their blood sugar in real time. According to some data, patients on GLP-1s and CGMs can achieve better outcomes -- such as improvements in blood sugar levels -- compared to those using GLP-1s alone. This could lead to higher demand for Dexcom's CGM devices and strengthen the company's competitive advantage. Dexcom's devices, including its G series of CGM systems, are compatible with a range of other devices indicated for diabetes patients, including insulin pens and pumps, among others. The more patients use its CGM systems, the more valuable its ecosystem becomes.
Dexcom has attractive opportunities ahead. As the company argues, over nine million patients in the U.S. have reimbursement for CGM but have yet to switch to these devices. Meanwhile, the company had a worldwide installed base of 3.5 million as of 2025. Further, the company has expanded its market by launching Stelo. This over-the-counter product can be used even by patients who aren't diabetic. Over the long run, the company should enter new territories and launch newer, better devices, as it has in the past. Dexcom has faced challenges in recent years as sales growth has declined, but its outlook over the next few years appears attractive. Soaring demand for GLP-1 products may help it rebound from recent woes through the associated increased prescriptions for its CGM devices.
Should you buy stock in Novo Nordisk right now?
Before you buy stock in Novo Nordisk, 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 Novo Nordisk wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
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*Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2026.
Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool recommends DexCom and recommends the following options: long January 2027 $65 calls on DexCom and short January 2027 $75 calls on DexCom. 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.

3 Beaten-Down Stocks With GLP-1 Exposure to Buy and Hold

Novo Nordisk NVO is a dominant player in the cardiometabolic space, mainly due to the encouraging uptake of its blockbuster semaglutide-based (GLP-1) drugs — Ozempic (for type II diabetes [T2D]) and Wegovy (for obesity).
Since launch, Novo Nordisk has steadily expanded the commercial opportunity for both Ozempic and Wegovy through multiple label expansions. Together, the drugs generated DKK 63.2 billion in the first quarter of 2026, representing about 65% of NVO’s total sales. Investors will be most interested in the sales numbers for these two drugs when Novo Nordisk reports second-quarter 2026 results on Aug. 5.
Novo Nordisk has also broadened its oral semaglutide franchise. Following the FDA approval of the oral Wegovy pill to treat obesity and reduce cardiovascular risk in late December, the drug was launched in the United States in early January, offering a more convenient alternative to injections. The pill has already surpassed three million prescriptions since launch, indicating strong early uptake. Earlier this month, oral Wegovy also received approval in the EU, setting the stage for additional sales growth in the coming quarters.
Beyond obesity, Novo Nordisk is strengthening its diabetes portfolio with oral semaglutide. In May, the FDA approved oral Ozempic for adults with T2D and to reduce cardiovascular risk. The drug was subsequently launched in the United States, likely contributing to second-quarter sales, which the investors will be keen to learn. The company also continues to generate meaningful revenues from Rybelsus, its oral semaglutide therapy for T2D.
However, Novo Nordisk's weak 2026 outlook, expecting a decline in adjusted sales and operating profit, signals limited near-term momentum for its GLP-1 franchise, suggesting that second-quarter sales growth for Wegovy and Ozempic is likely to remain under pressure amid intensifying competition from arch-rival Eli Lilly LLY. Pricing pressure in the United States, weaker prescription trends for injectable GLP-1 drugs, reduced Medicaid obesity coverage and intensifying competition continue to create significant operational and executional hurdles.
Beyond its GLP-1 franchise, Novo Nordisk's insulin and Rare Disease portfolios are likely to have provided additional support to overall revenues during the period.
NVO’s Peers in the Obesity Space
Eli Lilly is Novo Nordisk’s fierce competitor in the diabetes/obesity space, which markets its tirzepatide injections, Mounjaro (T2D) and Zepbound (obesity), competing directly with NVO’s Ozempic and Wegovy injections, respectively. Mounjaro and Zepbound have become LLY’s key top-line drivers. In the first quarter of 2026, the two drugs generated a combined $12.82 billion in sales, accounting for approximately 65% of Eli Lilly’s total revenues.
Eli Lilly also secured FDA approval and subsequently launched its oral GLP-1 pill, Foundayo (orforglipron), for obesity in early April, which now competes directly with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill. Investors will be most keen on learning the initial commercial performance of Foundayo when Eli Lilly reports its second-quarter results on Aug. 5 as well.
The obesity space has garnered much of the spotlight over the past year due to the sizeable and still underpenetrated market opportunity. Smaller biotech firms, like Viking Therapeutics VKTX and Structure Therapeutics GPCR, are also advancing GLP-1–based therapies to challenge the incumbents. Viking Therapeutics’ dual GIPR/GLP-1 receptor agonist, VK2735, is being developed as both oral and subcutaneous formulations for the treatment of obesity. Viking Therapeutics plans to advance oral VK2735 into phase III development for obesity in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Structure Therapeutics’ phase II ACCESS study on its orally administered GLP-1 RA, aleniglipron, demonstrated significant weight loss across all doses. Structure Therapeutics expects to initiate the late-stage program of aleniglipron in obesity in the second half of 2026.
NVO’s Stock Price, Valuation & Estimates
Year to date, Novo Nordisk shares have gained 0.2% compared with the industry’s 13.1% growth. The company has also underperformed the sector and the S&P 500 during the same time frame, as seen in the chart below.
NVO Stock Underperforms the Industry, Sector & the S&P 500
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Novo Nordisk is trading at a discount to the industry, as seen in the chart below. Going by the price/earnings ratio, the company’s shares currently trade at 15.34 forward earnings, which is lower than 19.11 for the industry. The stock is trading much below its five-year mean of 29.25.
NVO Stock’s Valuation
Earnings estimates for 2026 have decreased from $3.46 to $3.39 per share over the past 60 days. During the same time frame, Novo Nordisk’s 2027 earnings estimates have deteriorated from $3.44 to $3.27 per share.
NVO’s Estimate Movement
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Novo Nordisk currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
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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.

How Will Ozempic and Wegovy Sales Aid NVO's Upcoming Q2 Results?

Key Points
Eli Lilly is purchasing a psychedelic drug developer biotech, AtaiBeckley.
That'll build out its mental health portfolio substantially.
It'll also dovetail with the company's other ongoing diversification efforts.
Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) brought in $19.8 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026, and most of it can be traced back to the medicines everyone has heard of by now: tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for obesity. Its weight loss medicines, and the ones behind them in the pipeline, will likely carry the top line for years, though leadership in that market is never guaranteed.
But that didn't stop it from taking steps to expand its pipeline into other areas. On July 16, Lilly agreed to buy AtaiBeckley (NASDAQ: ATAI) for $2.8 billion, plus up to $1 billion more in potential milestone payments. This and other recent acquisitions are another reason to buy the stock, so let's examine it in more detail.
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Lilly's mental health portfolio is getting deeper
Buying Atai isn't Lilly's only recent step into the mental health space.
Lilly was already running a phase 3 psychiatry program built on similar biology as its weight-loss drugs. Brenipatide, a dual GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor agonist, is in late-stage testing for major depressive disorder (MDD), and it's additionally in development for alcohol use disorder.
So even as the company diversifies its pipeline with bolt-on acquisitions and new investment in research and development (R&D), it's also repurposing assets with the goal of building out its portfolio.
AtaiBeckley's lead asset, BPL-003, is an intranasal formulation of the fast-acting psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT, and it's now in phase 3 trials for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), meaning depression that hasn't responded favorably to at least two prior antidepressants. It holds a Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but the phase 3 data won't be available until early 2029.
Another of the biotech's programs approaching maturity is VLS-01, a dissolving film applied inside the cheek that delivers the psychedelic DMT. Its phase 2b trial in treatment-resistant depression is scheduled to release data in the fourth quarter of this year, and management plans to advance it into a phase 3 trial in major depressive disorder.
These new programs are an insurance policy
One thing to appreciate about the Atai acquisition is that it probably won't be a big earner for Lilly in comparison to the rest of its portfolio, even if it's a bullish factor over the long term.
The markets that Atai's candidates are targeting are simply not that big. For instance, Johnson & Johnson's esketamine nasal spray, Spravato, which is approved for treating treatment-resistant depression, brought in $584 million in sales globally in the second quarter of 2026, with peak sales that Jefferies puts at as much as $5 billion a year. So even a category-leading depression drug at full stride would be a small slice of a company guiding for $82 billion to $85 billion in revenue this year. That constraint could ultimately change if whatever Lilly launches with Atai can be developed into a relevant treatment for a larger market than it's currently targeting, but it'd take years at best.
Nonetheless, AtaiBeckley is Lilly's 12th acquisition of this year, and when the purchase closes, it'll become the first leading late-clinical-stage psychedelic stock to be acquired by a leading pharma company.
No single drug that is commercialized as a result of that list of purchases is going to significantly push Lilly's massive top line on its own overnight, but together, and perhaps with some additional R&D investment into expanding the indications they're approved for, they could, if execution goes Lilly's way. And, like Lilly's rapidly expanding pipeline and its blockbuster weight loss medicines, the acquisition is a reason to buy 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 $379,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,206,116!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 886% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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.
Alex Carchidi has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Eli Lilly. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson. 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 Another Reason to Buy Eli Lilly Stock

Key Points
Amgen wants a slice of the weight loss drug market.
Its candidate for capturing that market share might not be up to the task.
Its competitors aren't waiting around for it to catch up, either.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) is betting that the convenience of its weight loss treatment will make it a winner, and it might be right. Its candidate MariTide is a monthly injection that aims to directly challenge the anti-obesity drugs made by Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO), which in their original formulations are administered by a weekly injection.
If the program's phase 3 clinical trial data look good, Amgen could enter the market and become a major player despite having no real presence now. So should Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk actually start to sweat?
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
There may not be a real threat to the incumbents here
MariTide is an antibody-peptide conjugate, which in this case means that it's an antibody that blocks the receptor for glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and also carries two peptides that activate the receptor for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).
The conjugate's long half-life is what enables dosing only once a month, which could be a major convenience factor for patients, leading to higher market share than competing drugs. In the 592-participant phase 2 trial, adults with obesity and no type 2 diabetes lost 12.3% to 16.2% of their body weight at 52 weeks, against 2.5% on placebo.
The trouble is that those results don't exactly stack up against the competition.
Per one head-to-head trial comparing different molecules for weight loss, tirzepatide, which is the molecule in Eli Lilly's Zepbound, led to 20.2% weight loss, and semaglutide, which is Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, led to 13.7% weight loss after 72 weeks. MariTide has never been tested against either in a structured trial, but its phase 2 data do not suggest that it would dramatically outperform the leading medicines on the market right now.
Amgen's own language on this topic is instructive. The company's commercial chief, Murdo Gordon, told investors in April that it expects to be the best "monthly or less frequently dosed" agent in obesity.
Getting people to switch will be hard
Amgen will struggle to get patients to shift from their other weight loss therapies if it eventually succeeds in commercializing its candidate.
Amgen appears to share that doubt. In May it began an open-label phase 3 study of about 300 adults, moving off GLP-1 drugs and onto MariTide, with results due in 2028. Even if that trial produces some favorable data, it will probably be far too late to matter because by then both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk will likely have even newer and better therapies on the market or approaching commercialization.
Lilly's oral drug orforglipron, now branded Foundayo, was approved on April 1. Getting a once-monthly injection is probably a worse proposition in comparison to taking a daily pill, which many patients already do with other medicines anyway. Separately, Novo Nordisk has already filed for approval with its candidate CagriSema in December 2025.
Again, both of those companies, not to mention a few biotechs, have other weight loss candidates in the pipeline.
Amgen's next major weight loss catalyst is Maritime-1, its 3,501-patient obesity trial, which reaches primary completion on Jan. 21, 2027, with the type 2 diabetes study landing the same day.
Until then, Amgen only has a plausible convenience advantage, and it has no evidence in hand that it is beating any of the other players on efficacy or tolerability. Investors don't need to worry that they're at risk of missing the next hot stock on the basis of its published results so far. And, for their parts, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly don't need to fear Amgen much right now.
Should you buy stock in Amgen right now?
Before you buy stock in Amgen, 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 Amgen 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 $379,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,206,116!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 886% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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.
Alex Carchidi has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amgen, Eli Lilly, and 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.

Watch Out, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk: Amgen's Monthly Weight Loss Drug Has 6 Phase 3 Trials Running -- and It's Coming for Your Patients

Key Points
Eli Lilly currently displays stronger upward momentum in top-line growth, whereas Johnson & Johnson maintains a higher but flatter overall baseline.
Over roughly the last eight quarters, the two companies experienced diverging patterns, with Johnson & Johnson staying mostly stable quarter over quarter and Eli Lilly posting consistent sequential increases.
Investors should watch whether the closing revenue gap between the two companies continues to narrow or stabilizes in upcoming quarters.
Johnson & Johnson: A Stable Baseline
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is a holding company that generates revenue by researching, developing, and manufacturing products across its innovative medicine and medical technology segments.
The company recently entered a definitive agreement to acquire Firefly Bio, and it reported about a 22% net income margin for the quarter ended June 28, 2026.
Eli Lilly: Scaling Rapidly
Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company that earns its revenue by developing and commercializing human medicines, offering a comprehensive suite of diabetes and oncology medications.
It completed the acquisition of Centessa Pharmaceuticals and recorded about a 37% net income margin for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.
Why Revenue Matters for Retail Investors
Revenue here refers to the data provider's standardized income-statement revenue line item, and it serves as a fundamental starting point for investors to evaluate a company's ability to attract customers and grow its core operations.
Quarterly Revenue for Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly
Quarter (Period End)
Johnson & Johnson Revenue
Eli Lilly Revenue
Q3 2024 (period ended Sept. 2024)
$22.5 billion
$11.4 billion
Q4 2024 (period ended Dec. 2024)
$22.5 billion
$13.5 billion
Q1 2025 (period ended March 2025)
$21.9 billion
$12.7 billion
Q2 2025 (period ended June 2025)
$23.7 billion
$15.6 billion
Q3 2025 (period ended Sept. 2025)
$24.0 billion
$17.6 billion
Q4 2025 (period ended Dec. 2025)
$24.6 billion
$19.3 billion
Q1 2026 (period ended March 2026)
$24.1 billion
$19.8 billion
Q2 2026 (period ended June 2026)
$25.3 billion
Not yet reported
Foolish Take
Johnson & Johnson has long been considered a blue chip stock — a giant company with a long history of success, steady revenue, and financial strength. These types of stocks can be foundational for a diverse portfolio, offering reliable income in the form of dividends (J&J currently pays out about a 2% dividend yield), but they’re not usually very exciting in terms of growth. Indeed, the chart above shows that Johnson & Johnson is still growing its revenue, albeit slowly, largely due to its portfolio of pharmaceutical products.
But Eli Lilly is closing the gap. It competes with Johnson & Johnson in the immunology and oncology segment of the market, but its recent success has been propelled by its leading position in obesity and diabetes, anchored by top performers Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Both companies continue to make strategic acquisitions to grow their product offerings, and while Eli Lilly is still in growth mode, it does pay a modest dividend. Both companies also boast solid net income margins, which is typical of giants in healthcare and pharmaceuticals that benefit from patent protections, high barriers to entry, and pricing protections. These are also the things interested investors should keep an eye on. The possibility of patent expiration and increased competition means it’s important for a company not to lean too heavily on one blockbuster drug. Eli Lilly could very well continue to narrow the gap with Johnson & Johnson on its parabolic ride higher, but it’s also competing against Johnson & Johnson’s more diversified and stable business.
Should you buy stock in Johnson & Johnson right now?
Before you buy stock in Johnson & Johnson, 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 Johnson & Johnson 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 $379,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,206,116!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 886% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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 July 29, 2026.
Sarah Sidlow has positions in Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Eli Lilly. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson. 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.

Johnson & Johnson vs. Eli Lilly: Reliable Stability vs. Rapid Revenue Growth

Key Points
Investors have been concerned about rising oil prices, AI spending, and a richly valued market.
Apple's cautious approach to AI is paying off as it focuses its resources on its hot-selling iPhones.
Nvidia's products are deeply embedded in the hyperscaler building boom.
The "Magnificent Seven" are a group of the world's largest tech stocks. Because they have become the predominant winners in the market during the past decade or so, all of the largest companies in the world are tech stocks. The first large company that isn't, drugmaker Ely Lilly, is the ninth most-valuable company in the world.
The Magnificent Seven, in order of value as of this writing, include Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla. Today, Broadcom and Space Exploration Technologies are both larger than Tesla by market cap.
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These companies, which are all artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, have soared to their current rankings due to rapid growth, much of which is recently associated with the explosion of AI. However, only two of them were beating the S&P 500 as of this writing: Apple and Nvidia.
Is this an ominous warning about what's happening in the markets?
Is the S&P 500 hitting new highs?
This is the fourth straight year that the S&P 500 is showing a gain. It's not uncommon for the market to remain in bull territory for four years in a row, and during the past 25 years -- since it recovered from the dot-com bubble -- it has lost value only four times annually.
As of this writing, the S&P 500 is up about 8% year to date. However, it's off its record high, and it has been little changed during the past two months.
Investors have been worried about high oil prices due to the Iran war, AI spending, and a richly valued stock market. Oil prices have been up and down since the war started in February, and that volatility has the market concerned about longer-term effects.
Higher oil prices can trickle down to higher prices in nearly every industry, since many companies rely on oil for production, and they have to pass along higher costs to consumers.
As for AI spending, Amazon stock has borne the brunt of the market's worries about it for the past few months. However, Alphabet's recent announcement about its own capital expenditure forecast, which topped Amazon's outlook at $205 billion, sent its stock down as well. In fact, Alphabet stock had been beating the market as well until the announcement. But all of the large companies have been spending quite freely, and that's worrying investors.
Lastly, investors also recognize that the market is heading toward its highest-ever valuation. The price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is the standard valuation metric for most companies, but it has its drawbacks. It's unusable for companies that aren't profitable, and it doesn't account for anomalies, such as tax-advantaged or disadvantaged profits, one-time deviations, and inflation that distorts historical averages.
The cyclically adjusted P/E ratio, or CAPE ratio, was developed to account for most of these irregularities, and today, it stands at 41. Not only is that its second-highest figure ever since the metric was created, but it's also more than double the historical average of 17.8.
Why Nvidia and Apple are beating the market
Nvidia and Apple have both been up and down this year, but the market may see certain advantages in these stocks, the two most valuable companies in the world, as valuations rise and volatility increases. Many of the hottest AI stocks have begun to falter as fantastic gains outpace fundamental performance.
For example, chipmaker Sandisk continues to demonstrate phenomenal performance, but its P/E ratio has expanded as well, implying that stock growth is exceeding earnings growth. Many of the AI-adjacent stocks are in the same boat, and many have headed down recently.
Apple, on the other hand, laid low as AI exploded, and its cautious approach to AI development has proved to be savvy. Its iPhone remains the backbone of the company as it continues to be a hot seller, again proving that investing in its hardware, the known entity, rather than costly AI, was the right move.
Nvidia, at the same time, remains at the epicenter of the AI revolution for a number of reasons. It controls as much as 90% of the AI chip market, and it's deeply embedded in hyperscaler AI construction, so it is picking up a nice chunk of the spending.
In times like these, investors tend to head toward the safe stocks that can withstand market volatility, and Apple and Nvidia might fit the bill for many.
Should you buy stock in Apple right now?
Before you buy stock in Apple, 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 Apple 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 $379,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,206,116!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 886% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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 July 29, 2026.
Jennifer Saibil has positions in Apple. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Broadcom, Eli Lilly, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. 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.

Only 2 "Magnificent Seven" Stocks Are Beating the Market This Year. What's Going On?

Key Points
One of Cathie Wood's funds just sold some AtaiBeckley shares.
It also bought some Compass Pathways shares.
This move makes total sense given that Atai was just acquired by Eli Lilly.
The psychedelic medicine field looks like it's finally about to take off, and that's catching the attention of portfolio managers like Cathie Wood. Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) agreed on July 16 to acquire the biotech AtaiBeckley (NASDAQ: ATAI) for a $2.8 billion upfront payment, with as much as $1 billion more in potential milestone payments. To put it lightly, a psychedelic nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is not the kind of pharmaceutical asset Lilly would have even considered touching five years ago.
Cathie Wood's Ark Genomic Revolution ETF sold 1.1 million shares of AtaiBeckley on the deal news, and promptly bought nearly 400,000 shares of one of its peers, Compass Pathways (NASDAQ: CMPS), the psilocybin drug developer that Wood has been accumulating for months. So why does she think that Compass is the better bet here?
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What Lilly just bought
Atai's lead candidate, BPL-003, is an intranasal formulation that's being tested in a phase 3 trial for adults with treatment-resistant depression, which is defined as inadequate response to at least two prior antidepressant regimens.
The first data readouts are not expected until early 2029, but investment bank Jefferies estimates that there could be peak sales of between $1 billion and $2 billion for the therapy if it's ever commercialized. For a big pharma stock like Lilly, that's small potatoes relative to its colossal revenue base of $65.2 billion in 2025.
But why would Lilly buy Atai now specifically? In short, a regulatory door that was once closed is now wide open.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in April 2026 directing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prioritize psychedelic drug review, and six days later, the FDA issued a Commissioner's National Priority Voucher (CNPV) to Compass' lead program; the voucher compresses FDA review to as little as one to two months post-submission. Then, in July, the FDA finalized its psychedelic medicine clinical trial guidance, addressing the problems with the regulatory process that derailed Lykos Therapeutics' MDMA-assisted therapy in 2024 and sent the psychedelics segment into a two-year period of hibernation and doubt.
Compass is closer to the finish line
Wood's recent inclination toward Compass rather than Atai is likely based on the fact that Compass is much closer to potentially reaching the market with its lead candidate, which is now something that's possible to actually do, given the favorable changes to the regulatory environment.
That candidate, COMP360, already met its primary endpoint in both of its phase 3 trials in TRD, reporting some fairly solid depression symptom reductions per the widely used Montgomery-Åsberg rating scale compared to the control group. Compass is targeting completion of its rolling new drug application (NDA) in the fourth quarter of 2026, with its forecast saying that the biotech will be launch-ready by year-end 2026, contingent on both a positive FDA review and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rescheduling psilocybin from Schedule I, the category for the most dangerous and least medically valuable drugs.
Importantly, Compass has $466 million in cash and equivalents as of March 31, so it has a runway into 2028, which is well past a plausible launch date for COMP360. It's also roughly two years ahead of AtaiBeckley's own timeline for reaching the market, assuming it ever does. That difference means Compass has a shot at getting to market ahead of the next wave of psychedelic drug developers targeting TRD.
Thus, buying Compass now is a bet on COMP360's approval and a smooth launch leading to the company capturing a slice of the TRD market. Wood probably doesn't have anything against Lilly, but it's practically guaranteed that Compass is proportionally exposed to more upside than Lilly after buying Atai because it's a biotech without any drugs on the market, and not a pharma juggernaut where new medicines getting approved barely moves the needle much of the time.
Should you buy stock in Compass Pathways right now?
Before you buy stock in Compass Pathways, 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 Compass Pathways 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 $379,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,206,116!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 886% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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.
Alex Carchidi has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Eli Lilly. 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.

Eli Lilly Is Acquiring AtaiBeckley for $2.8 Billion. Cathie Wood Thinks Another Psychedelic Drug Stock Is an Even Better Bet.

Investors with a higher risk tolerance can pursue stocks with greater upside.
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*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of July 26, 2026. The video was published on July 28, 2026.
Should you buy stock in Cava Group right now?
Before you buy stock in Cava Group, 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 Cava Group 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 $379,662!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,206,116!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 886% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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 July 28, 2026.
Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has positions in Eli Lilly. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Cava Group, Eli Lilly, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Upwork. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

4 Stocks That Can 4x Your Money in 4 Years

Looking at options trading activity among components of the Russell 3000 index, there is noteworthy activity today in SanDisk Corp (Symbol: SNDK), where a total volume of 188,007 contracts has been traded thus far today, a contract volume which is representative of approximately 18.8 million underlying shares (given that every 1 contract represents 100 underlying shares). That number works out to 136% of SNDK's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 13.8 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $1000 strike put option expiring July 31, 2026, with 4,894 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 489,400 underlying shares of SNDK. Below is a chart showing SNDK's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $1000 strike highlighted in orange:
Eli Lilly (Symbol: LLY) options are showing a volume of 32,830 contracts thus far today. That number of contracts represents approximately 3.3 million underlying shares, working out to a sizeable 131.3% of LLY's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 2.5 million shares. Especially high volume was seen for the $1300 strike call option expiring July 31, 2026, with 1,798 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 179,800 underlying shares of LLY. Below is a chart showing LLY's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $1300 strike highlighted in orange:
And Core Scientific Inc (Symbol: CORZ) saw options trading volume of 114,157 contracts, representing approximately 11.4 million underlying shares or approximately 109.6% of CORZ's average daily trading volume over the past month, of 10.4 million shares. Particularly high volume was seen for the $20 strike call option expiring July 31, 2026, with 20,580 contracts trading so far today, representing approximately 2.1 million underlying shares of CORZ. Below is a chart showing CORZ's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $20 strike highlighted in orange:
For the various different available expirations for SNDK options, LLY options, or CORZ options, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further SNDK Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Eli Lilly and Company

Options Strategies