Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Reaches New 12-Month Low – Should You Sell?

Shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) hit a new 52-week low during trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $677.09 and last traded at $685.17, with a volume of 938238 shares. The stock had previously closed at $738.21.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently weighed in on LLY shares. Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $997.00 price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Tuesday, December 10th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $1,029.00 to $1,038.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $970.00 to $1,100.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,250.00 to $1,190.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $1,009.72.

Eli Lilly and Company Stock Performance

The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $848.36 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $831.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $684.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 61.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.40 and a beta of 0.51. The company has a current ratio of 1.15, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.00.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last announced 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 return on equity of 85.24% and a net margin of 23.51%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Eli Lilly and Company announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Monday, December 9th that allows the company to buyback $15.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to purchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, CAO Donald A. Zakrowski sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $818.24, for a total transaction of $818,240.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 5,840 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,778,521.60. This trade represents a 14.62 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.13% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Eli Lilly and Company

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 80.0% in the 4th quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 45 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. grew its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 358.3% during the 4th quarter. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. now owns 55 shares of the company’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 43 shares during the period. Mascagni Wealth Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter valued at about $43,000. Prudent Man Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 4th quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Compass Financial Services Inc bought a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $50,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.53% of the company’s stock.

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.