Zacks Research Predicts Weaker Earnings for Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) – Stock analysts at Zacks Research decreased their Q3 2026 EPS estimates for shares of Gilead Sciences in a report released on Tuesday, February 24th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the biopharmaceutical company will earn $2.30 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $2.34. The consensus estimate for Gilead Sciences’ current full-year earnings is $7.95 per share.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.86 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.03. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 28.90% and a return on equity of 49.46%. The company had revenue of $7.93 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.90 earnings per share. Gilead Sciences’s quarterly revenue was up 4.7% on a year-over-year basis. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.450-8.850 EPS.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on GILD. Mizuho lifted their target price on Gilead Sciences from $140.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Gilead Sciences from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $160.00 price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $140.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. Twenty-three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Gilead Sciences currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $156.72.

Gilead Sciences Stock Performance

Shares of GILD stock opened at $148.95 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $136.10 and its 200 day moving average price is $124.77. The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. The stock has a market capitalization of $184.91 billion, a PE ratio of 22.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.36. Gilead Sciences has a 52-week low of $93.37 and a 52-week high of $157.29.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Investors of record on Friday, March 13th will be paid a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This is an increase from Gilead Sciences’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 46.68%.

Insider Transactions at Gilead Sciences

In other Gilead Sciences news, Director Jeffrey Bluestone sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.50, for a total transaction of $617,500.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 8,920 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,101,620. The trade was a 35.92% 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 this link. Also, CEO Daniel Patrick O’day sold 115,640 shares of Gilead Sciences stock in a transaction on Friday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.00, for a total value of $15,611,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 566,698 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $76,504,230. This trade represents a 16.95% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 299,280 shares of company stock valued at $42,487,570. Company insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Gilead Sciences

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Gilead Sciences by 1.8% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 121,097,336 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $14,863,487,000 after buying an additional 2,113,692 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 60,240,518 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $7,393,921,000 after acquiring an additional 1,151,213 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Gilead Sciences by 2.6% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 29,207,662 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $3,231,548,000 after purchasing an additional 727,515 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 27,698,660 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $3,399,734,000 after purchasing an additional 1,195,269 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in Gilead Sciences by 15.2% in the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 23,121,620 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,837,948,000 after purchasing an additional 3,046,688 shares during the period. 83.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Gilead Sciences News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Gilead Sciences this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Gilead highlighted a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection with reported 99.9% efficacy (executive interview), reinforcing the company’s long-acting HIV/IP prevention market potential and upside to future sales if uptake and approvals follow. Johanna Mercier on Gilead’s HIV prevention innovation
• Positive Sentiment: New Phase 3 ARTISTRY-1 and ARTISTRY-2 data show the investigational single-tablet bictegravir/lenacapavir (BIC/LEN) maintained virological suppression when patients switched regimens — strengthens pipeline value and switch-market potential. Gilead’s Single-Tablet Regimen Maintained Virological Suppression
• Positive Sentiment: Daiwa raised its price target to $161 and kept an “outperform” rating, signaling buy-side confidence and giving shares technical/analyst momentum. Daiwa Securities Adjusts Price Target on Gilead Sciences
• Positive Sentiment: UBS reiterated a Buy with a $175 target, citing the advancing long-acting HIV franchise — another supportive analyst endorsement for upside. Gilead Sciences: Advancing Long-Acting HIV Franchise
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks issued a series of upward revisions to Gilead’s FY2026–FY2028 and multiple quarterly EPS forecasts (raises across 2026–2028), which supports higher medium-term earnings expectations. Zacks Research GILD Estimates
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces note Gilead has been outperforming the healthcare sector recently and analysts remain optimistic — supports momentum but is descriptive rather than new fundamental news. Gilead Sciences Stock: Is GILD Outperforming the Healthcare Sector?
• Neutral Sentiment: Industry/peer updates such as Kymera’s results were reported but are not directly material to Gilead’s near-term outlook. Kymera Therapeutics Q4 Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks trimmed its Q3 2026 EPS estimate slightly (from $2.34 to $2.30) — a small near-term downgrade within otherwise stronger multi-year raises; worth monitoring for quarterly variability. Zacks Lowers Q3 2026 Estimate
• Negative Sentiment: Merck reported promising Phase 3 results for a two-drug HIV regimen that matched Gilead’s Biktarvy, representing competitive pressure if approved. Investors should monitor regulatory outcomes and market-share implications. Merck’s New HIV Drug Shows Promise

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines in areas of high unmet medical need. The company initially built its reputation in antiviral therapies and has since expanded into oncology, cell therapy and inflammatory diseases. Gilead operates a global research and commercial organization, conducting clinical development and selling medicines in markets around the world.

Gilead’s product portfolio is anchored by antiviral therapies for HIV and viral hepatitis.