Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) Stock Now Rated “Moderate Buy” by Wall Street Brokerages

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) has been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-nine ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty-three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $158.78.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on GILD. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on Gilead Sciences from $120.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 5th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $155.00 to $145.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. Needham & Company LLC restated a “buy” rating and set a $170.00 target price on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Weiss Ratings raised Gilead Sciences from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Monday, September 14th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their target price on Gilead Sciences from $157.00 to $156.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 7th.

Gilead Sciences Stock Down 1.9%

Shares of NASDAQ GILD opened at $144.74 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $179.47 billion, a P/E ratio of -54.21 and a beta of 0.31. Gilead Sciences has a 52-week low of $109.66 and a 52-week high of $157.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.27. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $143.63 and its 200-day moving average price is $136.55.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($6.75) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($7.25) by $0.50. Gilead Sciences had a negative net margin of 10.64% and a negative return on equity of 2.11%. The company had revenue of $7.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.40 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.01 earnings per share. Gilead Sciences’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts forecast that Gilead Sciences will post -0.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Gilead Sciences Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 29th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, September 15th were issued a dividend of $0.82 per share. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, September 15th. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio is presently -122.85%.

Gilead Sciences News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Gilead’s HIV portfolio remains the primary growth driver. Biktarvy helped lift quarterly revenue to approximately $7.8 billion, while the company’s broader revenue increased 10.6% year over year. Biktarvy Drives Gilead Sciences Revenue to $7.8 Billion
• Positive Sentiment: Barron’s reiterated a bullish view, noting that Gilead shares have risen 35% since its earlier coverage but arguing that the company’s catalysts have not yet fully played out. The view supports continued investor interest in the pipeline and core HIV business. More Upside Awaits for Gilead Sciences Stock
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Daniel O’Day sold 15,000 shares worth about $2.2 million. Because the transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan, it may have limited bearish significance, although insider selling can weigh on sentiment. Gilead SEC Form 4 Filing
• Neutral Sentiment: Gilead has become one of the most-watched stocks among Zacks users, indicating elevated market attention but not necessarily a change in fundamentals. Gilead Trending Stock Analysis
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks Research downgraded Gilead from “strong buy” to “hold,” potentially encouraging profit-taking after the stock’s strong recent advance and reducing near-term buying support.

Insider Activity at Gilead Sciences

In related news, CEO Daniel O’Day sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $147.90, for a total transaction of $2,218,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 566,683 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $83,812,415.70. This represents a 2.58% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Anthony Welters sold 18,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $148.62, for a total transaction of $2,675,160.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 12,894 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,916,306.28. The trade was a 58.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 105,000 shares of company stock worth $14,940,540. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Gilead Sciences

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in GILD. BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $15,393,785,000. Norges Bank bought a new position in Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter worth $2,617,152,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences during the second quarter worth about $1,316,606,000. Deutsche Bank AG purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $918,387,000. Finally, Boston Partners bought a new stake in Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter valued at $517,808,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc (NASDAQ: GILD) is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes medicines for serious and life-threatening diseases. Its research and commercial activities focus primarily on virology, including HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, as well as oncology, inflammation and other areas of significant unmet medical need.

Gilead’s portfolio includes HIV treatments such as Biktarvy, Descovy, Genvoya and Sunlenca; hepatitis therapies including Epclusa, Harvoni and Vemlidy; and Veklury (remdesivir), an antiviral used to treat COVID-19 in certain patients.