Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC Decreases Stock Position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)

Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC lessened its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) by 3.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 6,526 shares of the company’s stock after selling 265 shares during the period. Exencial Wealth Advisors LLC’s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $5,038,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Proficio Capital Partners LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 100,387.1% in the fourth quarter. Proficio Capital Partners LLC now owns 5,202,215 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,016,110,000 after purchasing an additional 5,197,038 shares during the period. Integrated Investment Consultants LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 37,140.7% in the third quarter. Integrated Investment Consultants LLC now owns 694,167 shares of the company’s stock worth $614,990,000 after purchasing an additional 692,303 shares during the period. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 126,531.5% in the fourth quarter. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC now owns 678,745 shares of the company’s stock worth $523,991,000 after purchasing an additional 678,209 shares during the period. Mizuho Securities USA LLC increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 599.9% in the third quarter. Mizuho Securities USA LLC now owns 430,853 shares of the company’s stock worth $381,710,000 after purchasing an additional 369,293 shares during the period. Finally, Holocene Advisors LP increased its stake in Eli Lilly and Company by 257.1% in the third quarter. Holocene Advisors LP now owns 437,603 shares of the company’s stock worth $387,690,000 after purchasing an additional 315,065 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the company’s stock.

Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Shares of LLY stock opened at $910.92 on Wednesday. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1-year low of $711.40 and a 1-year high of $972.53. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $819.86 and its 200 day moving average is $848.03. The company has a market cap of $863.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 77.79, a PEG ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00, a current ratio of 1.15 and a quick ratio of 0.97.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 6th. The company reported $5.32 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.45 by ($0.13). Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 23.51% and a return on equity of 85.24%. Research analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 14th will be issued a $1.50 dividend. This represents a $6.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.66%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 14th. This is an increase from Eli Lilly and Company’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Eli Lilly and Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 51.24%.

Eli Lilly and Company announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Monday, December 9th that allows the company to repurchase $15.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the company to reacquire up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have weighed in on LLY shares. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,000.00 to $970.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Truist Financial increased their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,029.00 to $1,038.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Berenberg Bank set a $970.00 target price on Eli Lilly and Company in a research note on Thursday, January 16th. StockNews.com upgraded Eli Lilly and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 7th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,250.00 to $1,190.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eighteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $1,000.28.

Eli Lilly and Company Company Profile

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.