Zacks Research Lifts Earnings Estimates for Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) – Zacks Research increased their FY2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Gilead Sciences in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, November 20th. Zacks Research analyst E. Bagri now forecasts that the biopharmaceutical company will post earnings per share of $4.26 for the year, up from their previous forecast of $3.73. The consensus estimate for Gilead Sciences’ current full-year earnings is $4.37 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Gilead Sciences’ Q4 2024 earnings at $1.55 EPS, Q1 2025 earnings at $1.62 EPS, Q3 2025 earnings at $1.87 EPS, Q4 2025 earnings at $1.70 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $6.91 EPS, Q1 2026 earnings at $1.55 EPS, Q2 2026 earnings at $1.75 EPS and FY2026 earnings at $7.44 EPS.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 6th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.58 by $0.44. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 0.45% and a return on equity of 29.00%. The firm had revenue of $7.55 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.01 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.29 EPS. Gilead Sciences’s revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Leerink Partners raised shares of Gilead Sciences from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $74.00 to $96.00 in a research note on Monday, October 21st. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $84.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Daiwa America upgraded shares of Gilead Sciences to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on shares of Gilead Sciences in a report on Thursday, October 17th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $105.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Mizuho raised their price target on Gilead Sciences from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and four have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Gilead Sciences currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $95.41.

Gilead Sciences Stock Performance

Shares of GILD stock opened at $90.49 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $87.58 and a 200-day moving average of $77.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The stock has a market cap of $112.77 billion, a PE ratio of 1,005.44, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.17. Gilead Sciences has a one year low of $62.07 and a one year high of $98.90.

Gilead Sciences Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 30th. Investors of record on Friday, December 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.77 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, December 13th. This represents a $3.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.40%. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio is presently 3,422.22%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Gilead Sciences news, insider Merdad Parsey sold 25,590 shares of Gilead Sciences stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $91.50, for a total value of $2,341,485.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 99,599 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,113,308.50. The trade was a 20.44 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Johanna Mercier sold 29,357 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.78, for a total value of $2,459,529.46. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 78,127 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,545,480.06. This trade represents a 27.31 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 56,947 shares of company stock valued at $4,968,674 in the last ninety days. 0.29% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. raised its position in Gilead Sciences by 198.3% during the 2nd quarter. CarsonAllaria Wealth Management Ltd. now owns 358 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 238 shares during the last quarter. nVerses Capital LLC purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 101.9% in the third quarter. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 319 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 161 shares during the last quarter. Cedar Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in Gilead Sciences by 51.6% during the second quarter. Cedar Wealth Management LLC now owns 470 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 160 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines in the areas of unmet medical need in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company provides Biktarvy, Genvoya, Descovy, Odefsey, Truvada, Complera/ Eviplera, Stribild, Sunlencs, and Atripla products for the treatment of HIV/AIDS; Veklury, an injection for intravenous use, for the treatment of COVID-19; and Epclusa, Harvoni, Vemlidy, and Viread for the treatment of viral hepatitis.