Eli Lilly (LLY)
Eli Lilly is a global healthcare giant that develops life-changing medicines, currently leading the charge in treatments for diabetes and weight management.
Is Eli Lilly a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Eli Lilly is a global healthcare giant that develops life-changing medicines, currently leading the charge in treatments for diabetes and weight management.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
The company successfully diversifies its portfolio beyond current blockbuster drugs.
Patent expirations lead to a significant drop in revenue from key products.
What does Eli Lilly do?
Eli Lilly creates prescription medicines for complex conditions like diabetes, cancer, and immunology. The cash rolls in from selling those patented drugs to healthcare providers and pharmacies around the world. Everything turns on how successfully they can scale up production to meet the massive global demand for their new weight-loss treatments.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and quality, and weakest on value.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 0.6% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 56% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 35% of sales into profit
- !High P/E of 41 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 107%)
- Quality screens high (77/100)
- Growth screens high (92/100)
- Momentum screens high (70/100)
- Extremely high profit margins on core products
- Strong leadership in high-demand medical categories
- Value screens low (19/100)
- Potential for government intervention in drug pricing
- High manufacturing costs to scale production
- Risk of clinical trials failing to meet safety or efficacy standards
What do Eli Lilly's numbers mean?
How much money does Eli Lilly make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Eli Lilly pay a dividend?
Yes - Eli Lilly currently pays a dividend of about 0.6% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Eli Lilly report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Eli Lilly is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-05 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-30 | $6.79 | $8.55 | Beat +26% |
| 2026-02-04 | $6.91 | $7.54 | Beat +9% |
| 2025-10-30 | $5.89 | $7.02 | Beat +19% |
| 2025-08-07 | $5.59 | $6.31 | Beat +13% |
| 2025-05-01 | $3.46 | $3.34 | Missed -3% |
| 2025-02-06 | $5.07 | $5.32 | Beat +5% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Eli Lilly came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Agilent Technologies, Inc.What are the scenarios for Eli Lilly?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Eli Lilly?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Extremely high profit margins on core products
- Strong leadership in high-demand medical categories
- Impressive recent growth in both sales and earnings
- Very high valuation compared to typical companies
- Small dividend yield may not appeal to income-focused investors
- Heavy reliance on the success of a few specific drug lines
- Potential for government intervention in drug pricing
- High manufacturing costs to scale production
- Risk of clinical trials failing to meet safety or efficacy standards
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant decline in demand for weight-loss medications
- Major regulatory rejection of a key drug in the pipeline
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.