Eli Lilly and Company $LLY Shares Acquired by First Merchants Corp

First Merchants Corp increased its position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) by 1.1% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 50,675 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 534 shares during the period. Eli Lilly and Company comprises approximately 1.5% of First Merchants Corp’s holdings, making the stock its 13th biggest holding. First Merchants Corp’s holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $38,665,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in Eli Lilly and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Steph & Co. grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 290.0% during the 3rd quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 39 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Bare Financial Services Inc raised its stake in shares of Eli Lilly and Company by 263.6% in the 2nd quarter. Bare Financial Services Inc now owns 40 shares of the company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares in the last quarter. 82.53% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Eli Lilly and Company Trading Up 4.1%

Shares of LLY stock opened at $1,107.54 on Thursday. Eli Lilly and Company has a 1 year low of $623.78 and a 1 year high of $1,117.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.05 trillion, a PE ratio of 54.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.77 and a beta of 0.35. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $1,028.26 and a two-hundred day moving average of $856.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.71, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.55.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, October 30th. The company reported $7.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.42 by $0.60. Eli Lilly and Company had a net margin of 30.99% and a return on equity of 109.52%. The firm had revenue of $17.60 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.09 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $1.18 EPS. Eli Lilly and Company’s revenue was up 53.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Eli Lilly and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 23.000-23.700 EPS. As a group, research analysts expect that Eli Lilly and Company will post 23.48 EPS for the current year.

Eli Lilly and Company Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 13th will be given a $1.73 dividend. This represents a $6.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. This is a positive change from Eli Lilly and Company’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.50. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 13th. Eli Lilly and Company’s payout ratio is currently 33.86%.

Eli Lilly and Company News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Eli Lilly and Company this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Lilly confirmed it will buy Ventyx Biosciences in an all-cash deal worth about $1.2 billion, gaining a pipeline of oral small-molecule NLRP3 inhibitors and inflammatory disease candidates that expand Lilly beyond diabetes/weight-loss. This acquisition is a clear pipeline/strategic positive. Eli Lilly to buy Ventyx Biosciences in $1.2 billion deal
• Positive Sentiment: Lilly expanded its obesity/metabolic pipeline via a multiyear partnership/licensing deal with Nimbus (reported value ~$1.3B), adding an oral obesity candidate to its development portfolio — another growth pathway beyond injectables. Boston biotech Nimbus to partner with Eli Lilly on weight-loss pill in $1.3 billion deal
• Positive Sentiment: Lilly struck a collaboration with InduPro on a next-gen cancer program worth up to $950 million, strengthening oncology exposure and long-term revenue optionality. Lilly links up with InduPro in next-gen cancer treatment deal worth up to $950M
• Positive Sentiment: Clarivate named several Lilly cardiometabolic launches among drugs to watch for 2026, highlighting continued product catalysts beyond current blockbusters. Lilly’s prospective cardiometabolic launches dominate list of drugs to watch in 2026: Clarivate
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts are bullish: Citigroup flagged ~50% upside, and several upgrades/positive notes have circulated, supporting momentum and investor confidence in Lilly’s pipeline and earnings outlook. Eli Lilly Stock (LLY) Has 50% Upside, Says Citigroup
• Neutral Sentiment: The stock printed an all-time high intraday as buyers priced in the M&A and deal flow; that’s market confirmation of the reaction but not a new fundamental. Eli Lilly stock hits all-time high of 1113.03 USD
• Negative Sentiment: Lilly faces legal pressure: the Indiana attorney general sued alleging inflated insulin pricing, a regulatory and reputational overhang that could lead to fines, settlements or policy scrutiny. Indiana sues Eli Lilly alleging insulin price-fixing scheme

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. Truist Financial lifted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,038.00 to $1,182.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Eli Lilly and Company from $1,100.00 to $1,200.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Monday, December 1st. CICC Research raised their price objective on Eli Lilly and Company from $801.00 to $1,060.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 13th. Finally, Scotiabank assumed coverage on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a report on Thursday, November 13th. They set a “sector outperform” rating and a $1,165.00 target price on the stock. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $1,169.00.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is a global pharmaceutical company founded in 1876 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and therapies for patients worldwide. Eli Lilly maintains operations and commercial presence across North America, Europe, Asia and other regions, serving both developed and emerging markets. The company has been led in recent years by President and Chief Executive Officer David A.