Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) Receives $156.72 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-eight brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $157.6154.

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on GILD shares. Bank of America set a $162.00 price objective on Gilead Sciences and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. TD Cowen lifted their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $145.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Wolfe Research upped their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $155.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Barclays initiated coverage on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Friday, February 20th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $155.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd.

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 that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.50, for a total value of $617,500.00. Following the sale, the director owned 8,920 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,101,620. The trade was a 35.92% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Johanna Mercier sold 28,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $154.44, for a total value of $4,324,320.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 120,288 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $18,577,278.72. This trade represents a 18.88% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 309,280 shares of company stock valued at $43,935,470 over the last three months. 0.27% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Gilead Sciences

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Gilead Sciences by 1.8% in the 4th quarter. Paulson Wealth Management Inc. now owns 3,887 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $477,000 after buying an additional 67 shares during the last quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences by 0.9% during the 4th quarter. Essex Financial Services Inc. now owns 7,724 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $948,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC grew its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Alpha Cubed Investments LLC now owns 6,619 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $812,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC increased its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Personal CFO Solutions LLC now owns 4,572 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $561,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Moss Adams Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 4,446 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $546,000 after acquiring an additional 76 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

Gilead Sciences Trading Down 0.5%

Shares of NASDAQ GILD opened at $145.21 on Tuesday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $140.15 and its 200 day simple moving average is $126.57. Gilead Sciences has a fifty-two week low of $93.37 and a fifty-two week high of $157.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $180.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98, a current ratio of 1.55 and a quick ratio of 1.40.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.86 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.83 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $7.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 28.90% and a return on equity of 49.46%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $1.90 EPS. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.450-8.850 EPS. On average, analysts predict that Gilead Sciences will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be issued a $0.82 dividend. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. This is a positive change from Gilead Sciences’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio is presently 46.68%.

About Gilead Sciences

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.