Short interest for Eli Lilly and Co gives investors a sense of the degree to which investors are betting on the decline of Eli Lilly and Co's stock. Short interest data is updated every two weeks.

Eli Lilly and Co Stock (NYSE:LLY), Short Interest Report

Eli Lilly and Co

Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly is a drug firm with a focus on neuroscience, cardiometabolic, cancer, and immunology. Lilly's key products include Verzenio for cancer; Mounjaro, Zepbound, Jardiance, Trulicity, Humalog, and Humulin for diabetes; and Taltz and Olumiant for immunology.

News

Markets

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

AMGN

VKTX

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX), a clinical-stage company focused on developing novel therapeutics for metabolic and endocrine disorders, has been in the news, owing to updates from its obesity program.

Should You Hold Viking Therapeutics in Your Portfolio?

Wegovy

Biotech

Large Cap

Health Care

General

Novo Nordisk confirms there is no anticipated shortage of Wegovy in Denmark, despite prior warnings from the Danish Medicines Agency about limited supplies. The company addresses high demand and reassures the availability of all doses.

No Wegovy Shortage in Denmark Amid High Demand, Novo Nordisk Confirms

mounjaro-medication-for-weight-loss

Legal

Eli Lilly has settled with Totality Medispa over counterfeit Mounjaro and Zepbound sales. The spa will pay damages and cease using Lilly branding. Corrective measures include compliance with federal law for tirzepatide products.

Eli Lilly Strikes Deal To Combat Counterfeit Diabetes And Weight Loss Drugs Mounjaro And Zepbound

Liberty Media Corporation - Series A Liberty Live Common Stock

Liberty Live Group

LIBERTY LIVE SERIES B by Liberty Media Corporation

Liberty Media Corporation - Series C Liberty Live Common Stock

Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/vktx#NASDAQ">VKTX</a>), a clinical-stage company focused on developing novel therapeutics for metabolic and endocrine disorders, has been in the news, owing to updates from its obesity program.
The company, with a market cap of about $8 billion, is developing its lead candidate, VK2735, a dual GLP-1/GIP agonist. The candidate is being developed both as a subcutaneous injection and as an oral pill in a mid-stage study and an early-stage study, respectively.
The investigational drug is expected to reflect blockbuster potential, having demonstrated superior weight reduction capabilities in both clinical studies, coupled with the massive demand for obesity drugs. Biotech firms have been competing fiercely to enter the obesity market due to the huge untapped opportunity it represents amid increasing demand.
In early 2024, Viking Therapeutics reported that the phase II VENTURE study, which evaluated a subcutaneous formulation of VK2375, achieved its primary and all secondary endpoints, with statistical significance. Patients treated with this formulation achieved a mean weight reduction of 14.7% after 13 weeks compared with 1.7% in the placebo group.
Year to date, shares of VKTX have skyrocketed 289.6% against the&nbsp;industry&#39;s 5.7% decline.
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/c6/66778.jpg?v=555967424" style="height:350px; width:600px" /> 
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What&#39;s particularly impressive is that weight loss in all treated cohorts gradually progressed through 13 weeks and did not show evidence of&nbsp;plateauing.
This suggests that VK2375 has the potential to induce further weight loss over a longer treatment period and at higher doses.
Based on such encouraging results, Viking Therapeutics plans to advance both formulations into further development later this year.
Consequently, the company also reported data from the phase I study evaluating the oral formulation of the drug in March 2024, which demonstrated promising dose-dependent reductions in mean body weight after 28 days of daily dosing.
Patients who received the drug at the highest dose level (i.e., 40mg) lost up to 5.3% of their body weight compared with 2.1% in the placebo group. In fact, 57% of patients who received the 40mg dose lost at least 5% of their body weight.
Notably, in both studies, VK2735 was well-tolerated across all doses, with no serious adverse events.
Such impressive results should instill faith in investors regarding the potential of Viking&#39;s VK2735 development program for obesity.
Of the two formulations of VK2735, which are currently being investigated, the oral formulation is more interesting as it is much easier to use. Patients will most likely prefer a daily weight loss pill to a weekly injection, thereby having the potential to increase the company&#39;s customer base, which will contribute to strong sales, subject to approval.
Viking Therapeutics also enjoys a comfortable cash position. It had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of&nbsp;$963 million as of Mar 31, 2024, which should be able to fund the company&#39;s clinical program for VK2735, along with other pipeline programs, simultaneously. The company currently has no debt (short + long term) in its balance sheet, which is also encouraging.
VKTX&#39;s pipeline comprises two other promising candidates, which are undergoing clinical-stage development. This ensures that its entire growth prospect is not just dependent on the success of its obesity program.
Viking Therapeutics is evaluating its investigational candidate, VK2809, in an ongoing mid-stage study for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. On the other hand, a separate ongoing early-stage study is currently evaluating VK0214 for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>Viking Therapeutics, Inc. Price and Consensus</h3>
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/chart/VKTX/price-consensus-chart?icid=chart-VKTX-price-consensus-chart"><img alt="Viking Therapeutics, Inc. Price and Consensus" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/bb/1715781132.png" style="height:350px; width:600px" title="" /> </a>
Viking Therapeutics, Inc. price-consensus-chart | Viking Therapeutics, Inc. Quote
</div>
However, there are several risk factors that investors should consider before making a decision.
One cannot simply overlook the tremendous competition in the obesity market, especially from pharma bigwigs like Eli Lilly (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lly#NYSE">LLY</a>) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvo#NYSE">NVO</a>).
Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have massive infrastructures and resources, far greater than that of Viking Therapeutics, which will likely allow these large caps to outmaneuver competition in the obesity market in the long run.
Wegovy, a GLP-1 agonist, is NVO&#39;s blockbuster chronic weight management injection approved for adults with obesity or overweight. The drug received FDA approval in 2021 and has witnessed stellar performance ever since. In 2023, Wegovy sales were up 407% to DKK 31.3 billion compared with the DKK 6.2 billion recorded in 2022 on a reported basis.
Wegovy is seeing strong prescription trends and is generating impressive revenues and profits for Novo Nordisk. NVO recently announced that the FDA has approved Wegovy for reducing the risk of serious heart problems in obese/overweight adults in March 2024. In the first quarter of 2024, Novo Nordisk generated revenues of DKK 9.4 billion from Wegovy sales, representing a surge of 107% year over year.
Eli Lilly launched its obesity drug, Zepbound, a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist in November 2023. Zepbound has seen strong uptake since its launch. The drug generated revenues of $175.8 million in 2023. The first quarter of 2024 marked the first full quarter of commercialization following Zepbound&#39;s launch generating $517.4 million in revenues.
Amgen&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/amgn#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>) also has a GLP-1 receptor candidate, MariTide (maridebart cafraglutide), for obesity in its pipeline. Earlier this month, Amgen stated that it was &quot;very encouraged&quot; with the interim data from the phase II study on MariTide. Top-line 52-week data from the phase II study is expected in late 2024. AMGN is planning to conduct a comprehensive phase III program on the candidate across obesity, obesity-related conditions and diabetes.
Despite the intense competition, the obesity market is still far from being saturated, which will likely provide enough breathing room for Viking Therapeutics to operate in the market and develop additional medicines.
However, in the absence of a marketed product, VKTX does not have a regular income stream to support clinical activities. All pipeline candidates are still a few years away from commercialization. Any developmental setback for the company&#39;s pipeline programs will be detrimental to the stock, driving up operating expenses that will significantly increase loss margins. The pharma industry is especially prone to such failures.
These above-discussed factors indicate that Viking Therapeutics is a good stock to hold on to. In fact, any major dip in stock price can be used as an opportunity to buy the stock. This could drive significant growth for investors&#39; portfolios as the company targets a lucrative market space. It has consistently reported positive results from the clinical studies of VK2735 for the obesity indication.
<h3>Zacks Rank</h3>
VKTX currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2274279/should-you-hold-viking-therapeutics-vktx-in-your-portfolio?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|rank_focused-2274279">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Health Care sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CVS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/07/24</td>
<td>$56.00</td>
<td>$38.2K</td>
<td>765</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BMRN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$27.8K</td>
<td>276</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JAZZ</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$37.3K</td>
<td>129</td>
<td>276</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVCR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$25.3K</td>
<td>446</td>
<td>220</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BSX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$62.50</td>
<td>$37.4K</td>
<td>206</td>
<td>138</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PFE</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$27.00</td>
<td>$26.9K</td>
<td>7.4K</td>
<td>128</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$780.00</td>
<td>$61.6K</td>
<td>382</td>
<td>115</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UNH</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/28/24</td>
<td>$520.00</td>
<td>$36.7K</td>
<td>15</td>
<td>114</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JNJ</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/07/24</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$30.0K</td>
<td>115</td>
<td>103</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MRK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$56.7K</td>
<td>4.4K</td>
<td>62</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding CVS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVS#NYSE">CVS</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 23 day(s) on June 7, 2024. Parties traded 330 contract(s) at a $56.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.2K, with a price of $116.0 per contract. There were 765 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2101 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BMRN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMRN#NASDAQ">BMRN</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 128 day(s) on September 20, 2024. Parties traded 105 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.8K, with a price of $265.0 per contract. There were 276 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1969 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JAZZ (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JAZZ#NASDAQ">JAZZ</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 37 day(s) on June 21, 2024. This event was a transfer of 89 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.3K, with a price of $420.0 per contract. There were 129 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 276 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding NVCR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVCR#NASDAQ">NVCR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 128 day(s) on September 20, 2024. Parties traded 110 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.3K, with a price of $230.0 per contract. There were 446 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 220 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BSX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BSX#NYSE">BSX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 611 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 129 contract(s) at a $62.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.4K, with a price of $290.0 per contract. There were 206 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 138 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PFE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PFE#NYSE">PFE</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 93 day(s) on August 16, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $27.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.9K, with a price of $266.0 per contract. There were 7459 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 128 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LLY (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 37 day(s) on June 21, 2024. This event was a transfer of 29 contract(s) at a $780.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $61.6K, with a price of $2125.0 per contract. There were 382 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 115 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For UNH (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 44 day(s) on June 28, 2024. This event was a transfer of 30 contract(s) at a $520.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.7K, with a price of $1224.0 per contract. There were 15 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 114 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JNJ (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 23 day(s) on June 7, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.0K, with a price of $300.0 per contract. There were 115 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 103 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MRK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRK#NYSE">MRK</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 2 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $56.7K, with a price of $1135.0 per contract. There were 4433 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 62 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

BMRN

JAZZ

NVCR

10 Health Care Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

Novo Nordisk A/S&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVO#NYSE">NVO</a>) says that despite earlier warnings from the Danish Medicines Agency about potential shortages of Wegovy, it does not anticipate a shortage of its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/03/37876911/wegovys-success-medicare-contemplates-covering-novo-nordisks-semaglutide-for-heart-health" rel="noreferrer noopener">weight-loss drug in Denmark</a>.&nbsp;
The agency had warned of limited supply for the 1 mg injection pen from late May to mid-June and the 0.5 mg injection pen from mid-June to mid-July due to increased demand.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/04/38413220/what-are-pricing-strategies-for-ozempic-and-wegovy-with-potential-medicare-coverage-expansion-sen" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Are Pricing Strategies for Ozempic And Wegovy With Potential Medicare Coverage Expansion? Senate Committee Questions Novo Nordisk</a>.
In both cases, the expected shortage was due to rising demand, the medicines agency said.
&#8220;Novo Nordisk is experiencing a high demand for Wegovy, which can result in periodic backorders of various doses of the product in Denmark,&#8221; Novo Nordisk said in a statement to Reuters.&nbsp;
&#8220;In&nbsp;the case of Wegovy FlexTouch 1.0 mg and 0.5 mg, the announcements from the Danish Medicines Agency are no longer current,&#8221; it said.
Wegovy&nbsp;is given&nbsp;by weekly injection. It starts at 0.25 mg of the active ingredient semaglutide and gradually increases to a maintenance dose of 2.4 mg.
Novo, struggling with supply constraints due to run-away demand for the hugely popular drug, said all doses were available in Denmark.
Earlier this month, as per a media report, online pharmacies&nbsp;and slimming clinics in Britain are reducing prices for&nbsp;Novo Nordisk&#8217;s Wegvoy&nbsp;and&nbsp;Eli Lilly And Co&#8217;s&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>)&nbsp;Mounjaro&nbsp;as initial supply shortages ease, a move driven by growing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38596771/weigh-loss-competition-heats-up-in-britain-online-pharmacies-slash-prices-for-wegovy-and-mounjaro" rel="noreferrer noopener">competition among retailers</a>.&nbsp;
In April, Novo Nordisk warned that starter kits for its widely used diabetes drug Ozempic (semaglutide) would not be available in Germany&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38075244/novo-nordisks-popular-diabetes-drug-ozempic-starter-kits-face-extended-shortages-in-germany-faces-bi" rel="noreferrer noopener">during the second quarter</a>.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/24/04/38225112/novo-nordisks-dominance-in-obesity-diabetes-drug-market-backed-by-strong-pipeline-analyst-gives-out" rel="noreferrer noopener">Novo Nordisk&#8217;s DoNordisk&#8217;sn Obesity &amp; Diabetes Drug Market Backed by Strong Pipeline: Analyst Gives Outperform Rating</a>.
Price Action: NVO shares are up 0.82% at $134.01 at last check Wednesday.
Image Via Shutterstock

Eli Lilly And Co&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) has reportedly reached a settlement agreement with a&nbsp;medi&nbsp;spa that sold counterfeit versions of its popular diabetes drug Mounjaro and weight loss treatment Zepbound,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38596771/weigh-loss-competition-heats-up-in-britain-online-pharmacies-slash-prices-for-wegovy-and-mounjaro" rel="noreferrer noopener">which contains tirzepatide</a>.
As part of the deal, Totality Medispa will pay Lilly a monetary payment and cease using Lilly&#8217;s branding to promote its products.
In addition to the financial settlement, Totality Medispa&nbsp;is required&nbsp;to&nbsp;take corrective actions, including ensuring that any compounded tirzepatide products it obtains and&nbsp;distributes&nbsp;are&nbsp;produced&nbsp;in compliance with U.S. federal law.
Related:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38563149/eli-lilly-on-its-way-to-1-trillion-market-cap-analysts-say-its-a-have-in-a-sea-of-h" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eli Lilly &#8216;On Its Way&#8217; To $1 Trillion Market Cap, Analysts Say: It&#8217;s A &#8216;Have&#8217; In A Sea Of &#8216;Have Nots&#8217;</a>
In April, U.S. District Judge Roy Altman&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cases.justia.com/federal/district-courts/florida/flsdce/1:2023cv23586/654456/46/0.pdf?ts=1712851105" rel="noreferrer noopener">ruled</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;Eli Lilly&nbsp;cannot rely on state law to stop a compounding pharmacy,&nbsp;RXCompoundStore.com, from marketing its version&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/04/38223582/eli-lilly-suffers-legal-loss-for-its-popular-weight-lossdiabetes-drug-in-lawsuit-against-florida-" rel="noreferrer noopener">of the drug tirzepatide</a>.
Eli Lilly and&nbsp;Novo Nordisk A/S&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVO#NYSE">NVO</a>) have actively pursued legal action against several&nbsp;medi&nbsp;spas&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/01/36765784/weight-loss-drugs-ozempic-counterfeit-rising-reports-over-patient-safety-related-fake-drugs" rel="noreferrer noopener">and compounding pharmacies</a>.&nbsp;
These lawsuits aim to halt the sale of products that falsely claim to contain the active ingredients semaglutide and tirzepatide, which&nbsp;are used&nbsp;in the companies&#8217; popular weight-loss drugs.&nbsp;
Last year, Novo Nordisk sued a compounding pharmacy and refiled a lawsuit against another after discovering that their products, which purported to contain the active ingredient for its weight-loss drug Wegovy, were impure&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/23/11/36020513/novo-nordisk-sues-florida-compounding-pharmacies-over-impurities-in-products-claiming-to-contain-" rel="noreferrer noopener">by as much as 33%</a>.
In March, Lilly reported finding bacteria and high levels of impurities in products alleged to be compounded&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/03/37544347/eli-lillys-legal-battle-against-fake-compounded-tirzepatide-products-bacteria-impurities-detected" rel="noreferrer noopener">versions of tirzepatide</a>.&nbsp;
The company has since taken legal action against multiple medical spas, weight-loss clinics, and compounding pharmacies to prevent them from selling products purportedly containing tripeptide, the active ingredient in its&nbsp;weight-loss&nbsp;and diabetes medications.
&#8220;While this agreement is an important step forward, this is not a problem that Lilly can solve alone. We strongly support state and federal regulators taking action to deter and punish compounding pharmacies, counterfeiters, and others who put patients at risk by selling unsafe products claiming to be tirzepatide,&#8221; Reuters noted, citing Lilly&#8217;s statement.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/03/37662893/pharmaceutical-crime-jumps-50-as-criminals-seek-to-capitalize-rising-tide-of-counterfeit-weight-l" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pharmaceutical Crime Jumps 50% As Criminals Seek To Capitalize Rising Tide of Counterfeit Weight-Loss Drugs</a>.
Price Action:&nbsp;LLY shares were&nbsp;up 1.21% at $773.22&nbsp;at&nbsp;last&nbsp;check Wednesday.
Photo via Company

Eli Lilly Provides Update On Mounjaro And Zepbound Compounding Litigation; Enters Settlement Requiring Totality Medispa To Make Monetary Payment, Prohibiting Misleading Conduct, And Reporting Adverse Events To FDA

<a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-jones-05-14-2024/card/lilly-settles-with-spa-selling-mounjaro-zepbound-knock-offs-Oy1C59kOIAqzhdhQvTve?mod=lctimeline_finance">https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-jones-05-14-2024/card/lilly-settles-with-spa-selling-mounjaro-zepbound-knock-offs-Oy1C59kOIAqzhdhQvTve?mod=lctimeline_finance</a>
Eli Lilly has reached its first legal settlement with one of the spas that it had accused in lawsuits of infringing its trademarks by selling alternative versions of Lilly&#39;s hot-selling drugs for diabetes and weight loss.
Both Lilly and its archrival Novo Nordisk have been <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-jones-earnings-02-09-2024/card/novo-nordisk-settles-with-two-clinics-selling-ozempic-knock-offs-EQJ8ItshoYTu1UgUFTmb">trying to crack down</a> on the sale of <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ozempic-maker-sues-spas-and-clinics-selling-custom-made-versions-7e885f7ahttps://www.wsj.com/articles/ozempic-maker-sues-spas-and-clinics-selling-custom-made-versions-7e885f7a">custom-made versions</a> of their drugs. The alternative versions have become popular because they&#39;re often cheaper than the originals, and available when the brand-name versions are in short supply.
In the settlement, Totality Medispa LLC agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to Lilly and to stop using the Lilly brand names Mounjaro and Zepbound when promoting custom-made, or compounded, versions of the drugs.

'Lilly Settles With Spa Selling Mounjaro, Zepbound Knock-Offs' - WSJ

Argus Research analyst David Toung maintains Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $770 to $840.

Price Target

Argus Research Maintains Buy on Eli Lilly and Co, Raises Price Target to $840

Pfizer Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PFE#NYSE">PFE</a>) is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38595739/pfizer-prospects-garner-mixed-sentiment-from-analysts-finally-the-pivot-investors-h" rel="noreferrer noopener">looking to build</a>&nbsp;on the success of its&nbsp;COVID-19&nbsp;vaccine rollout by introducing a direct-to-consumer medicines platform under the brand &#8220;Pfizer for All.&#8221;&nbsp;
The move, reflected in a recent trademark application, aims to provide medical information, mail-order pharmacy, and telehealth&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38554240/pfizer-embraces-direct-to-consumer-model-for-covid-antiviral-says-comirnaty-revenues-continue-to-" rel="noreferrer noopener">services to US patients</a>.
Recent reports indicate Pfizer&#8217;s intention to include various medications, including its&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;antiviral Paxlovid and diagnostic kits, on the platform later this year, expanding its offerings to cater to diverse healthcare needs.
Related:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38710835/pfizer-agrees-to-settle-over-10-000-lawsuits-about-cancer-risks-associated-with-discontinued-hear" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pfizer Agrees To Settle Over 10,000 Lawsuits About Cancer Risks Associated With Discontinued Heartburn Drug Zantac</a>.
The platform will offer a &#8220;downloadable mobile application for providing medical information&#8221; as well as &#8220;mail order pharmacy services&#8221; and &#8220;diagnostic test kits . . . for use in disease screening and detection&#8221;, according to the trademark application, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/772794b4-0dd8-4ba1-a356-bc5f33c21589" rel="noreferrer noopener">FT writes</a>.
This initiative follows similar endeavors in the pharmaceutical industry to bypass traditional&nbsp;middlemen&nbsp;and directly reach consumers.&nbsp;
Earlier this year,&nbsp;Eli Lilly And Co&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) launched its LillyDirect platform,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/01/36495250/eli-lilly-launches-website-to-help-patients-with-home-delivery-options-for-weight-loss-medicines" rel="noreferrer noopener">marking an industry first</a>.
The &#8220;Pfizer for All&#8221; platform is positioned as a healthcare equity endeavor, seeking to simplify the often convoluted process through which US patients obtain their medications, the Financial Times highlights.&nbsp;
Citing the sources familiar with the plans, the FT&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/772794b4-0dd8-4ba1-a356-bc5f33c21589" rel="noreferrer noopener">notes</a>&nbsp;that Pfizer intends to leverage its brand equity gained from its pivotal role in combating the Covid-19 crisis.
Despite Pfizer&#8217;s favorable reception during the height of the vaccine rollout, its favorability score has experienced fluctuations. The company&#8217;s stock value has also declined from its pandemic peak, facing skepticism from investors regarding its growth trajectory.
However, Timothy Mackey, a professor of global health at the University of California San Diego, believes that Pfizer&#8217;s approach may resonate positively with consumers despite mixed sentiments surrounding pharmaceutical companies.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38708473/second-death-pfizer-reports-young-boys-death-after-one-year-of-gene-therapy-treatment-in-muscle-w" rel="noreferrer noopener">Second Death &#8211; Pfizer Reports Young Boy&#8217;s Death After One Year Of Gene Therapy Treatment In Muscle Wasting Disorder Trial</a>.
Price Action: PFE shares are up 1.30% at $28.38 at last check Monday.
Photo via Shutterstock

Pfizer Follows Eli Lilly's Footsteps To Sell Medicines Directly To Patients

The first-quarter results of the healthcare sector have been unimpressive, with earnings of 78% of the sector participants that have reported so far down 31.2% despite 4.4% revenue growth. The earnings beat ratio of 93.9% and the revenue beat ratio of 75.8% are assuring, though. Combining the actual results with the estimates for the still-to-report companies, the total earnings of the sector are expected to decline 25.1% despite revenue growth of 7.1%. 
However, many industry bigwigs reported solid results, with some beating on earnings or revenues or both. As such, pharma ETFs have delivered mixed performances over the past month. iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (ARCA:IHE), VanEck Vectors Pharmaceutical ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pph#NASDAQ">PPH</a>), SPDR S&amp;P Pharmaceuticals ETF (ARCA:XPH) and First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ftxh#NASDAQ">FTXH</a>) have lost 3.7%,1.9%, 2.9%, and 3.1% respectively, while Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF (ARCA:PJP) has added 0.8% in a month. 
Let&#39;s delve deeper into the earnings of some of the bigwigs:
<h3>Earnings in Focus</h3>
Johnson and Johnson 
Johnson &amp; Johnson (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/jnj#NYSE">JNJ</a>) continued with its long streak of earnings beat but lagged revenue estimates. Earnings per share came in at $2.71, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.64 and improving 12.4% from the year-ago quarter. Revenues grew 2% year over year to $21.38 billion and fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $21.4 billion. For 2024, Johnson &amp; Johnson revised its guidance from $88.2-$89.0 billion to $87.8-$88.6 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 5.5%-6.0%. The adjusted earnings per share guidance was tightened from $10.55-$10.75 to $10.57 to $10.72. 
Pfizer 
Pfizer (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pfe#NYSE">PFE</a>) topped estimates on both the top and bottom lines. It reported adjusted earnings per share of 82 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 56 cents per share but declined 33% year over year. Revenues declined 20% year over year to $14.88 billion and fell short of the consensus mark of $13.96 billion. The U.S. drug giant reaffirmed its revenue guidance of $58.5-$61.5 billion and raised its adjusted earnings per share to $2.15-$2.35 from $2.05-$2.25 for 2024. 
Merck 
Merck (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrk#NYSE">MRK</a>) also topped earnings and revenue estimates. It posted earnings per share of $2.07, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.94 and increased 48% from the year-ago earnings. Revenues rose 9% year over year to $15.78 billion and edged past the consensus mark of $15.37 billion. Merck lifted the lower end of its revenue guidance. It now expects revenues in the range of $63.1-$64.2 billion from $62.7-$64.2 billion, while earnings per share are expected in the range of $8.53-$8.65 versus the prior expectation of $8.44-$8.59. 
Bristol-Myers 
Bristol-Myers (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bmy#NYSE">BMY</a>) also reported better-than-expected results. It posted a loss per share of $4.40, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $4.53 per share. In the year-ago quarter, BMY posted adjusted earnings per share of $2.05. Revenues grew 5% year over year to $11.86 billion and edged past the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $11.46 billion. For 2024, Bristol-Myers expects revenues to increase in the low single digits while earnings per share are expected in the band of 40 cents to 70 cents, down from the earlier estimate of $7.10-$7.40, to reflect the dilutive impact of recent acquisitions and collaborations. 
Eli Lilly and Company 
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lly#NYSE">LLY</a>) posted mixed first-quarter 2024 earnings, beating earnings estimates but lagging on revenues. Earnings per share came in at $2.58, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.53 and improving 59% from the year-ago number. Revenues rose 26% to $8.77 billion but fell short of the estimated $8.81 billion. Eli Lilly raised the 2024 revenue guidance to $42.4-$43.6 billion from $40.4-$41.6 billion, while the adjusted earnings per share guidance was upped to $13.50-$14.00 from the prior projection of $12.20-$12.70.
<h3>ETF Angle</h3>
iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF 
iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF provides exposure to 34 U.S. companies that manufacture prescription or over-the-counter drugs or vaccines by tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Pharmaceuticals Index. The in-focus five firms are the top holdings in the basket, accounting for a combined 59% of the total assets, suggesting heavy concentration. iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF has $654.8 million in AUM and charges 40 bps in fees and expenses. It carries a Zacks ETF Rank #2 (Buy) with a High risk outlook. 
VanEck Vectors Pharmaceutical ETF 
VanEck Vectors Pharmaceutical ETF follows the MVIS US Listed Pharmaceutical 25 Index and holds 26 stocks in its basket. The five firms collectively account for a 33.2% share in the fund&#39;s basket. The product has amassed $512.7 million in its asset base and charges 36 bps in annual fees. VanEck Vectors Pharmaceutical ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank #3 (Hold) with a Medium risk outlook. 
SPDR S&amp;P Pharmaceuticals ETF 
SPDR S&amp;P Pharmaceuticals ETF provides exposure to pharma companies by tracking the S&amp;P Pharmaceuticals Select Industry Index. With AUM of $197.9 million, it holds 41 securities, with the in-focus firms making up about 4% share each. SPDR S&amp;P Pharmaceuticals ETF charges 35 bps in fees a year and has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 with a High risk outlook. 
Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF 
Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF offers exposure to companies that are principally engaged in the research, development, manufacture, sale, or distribution of pharmaceuticals and drugs of all types. It follows the Dynamic Pharmaceuticals Intellidex Index and holds 24 stocks in its basket, with the in-focus firms making up at least 5% share each. Invesco Pharmaceuticals ETF has AUM of about $270.2 million and charges 57 bps in fees and expenses. The ETF has a Zacks ETF Rank #3 with a High risk outlook. 
First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF 
First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF tracks the Nasdaq US Smart Pharmaceuticals Index, holding 50 securities in its basket. The in-focus five firms account for a combined 32.2% of the assets. FTXH has AUM of $19.9 million. First Trust Nasdaq Pharmaceuticals ETF charges 60 bps in annual fees and has a Zacks ETF Rank #2 (Buy).
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2269782/a-look-at-pharma-etfs-post-q1-earnings?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-etf_news_and_commentary-2269782">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Earnings

ETFs

FTXH

iShares Dow Jones US Pharmaceuticals Index Fund

Merrill Lynch Pharmaceutical HOLDRs Trust

A Look at Pharma ETFs Post Q1 Earnings

Researchers at Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google DeepMind have <a href="https://blog.google/technology/ai/google-deepmind-isomorphic-alphafold-3-ai-model/#alphafold-server" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">developed</a> AlphaFold 3, an new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence (AI) model</a>.
AlphaFold 3 can predict the structure and interactions of biological molecules. This includes proteins, DNA and RNA, and small molecules that could function as drugs. 
Google DeepMind will make the model available for non-commercial use through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://alphafoldserver.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener">the AlphaFold server</a>.&nbsp;
The details were published in the journal&nbsp;Nature&nbsp;on May 8.
The company adds that AlphaFold 3 can predict the structure and interactions of all life&#8217;s molecules. For the interactions of proteins with other molecule types, researchers saw a 50% improvement compared with existing prediction methods. For some important categories of interaction, that&#8217;s double the prediction accuracy.
To build on AlphaFold 3&#8217;s potential for drug design,&nbsp;Isomorphic&nbsp;Labs&nbsp;is already collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to apply it to real-world drug design challenges.
The new model builds on the foundations of AlphaFold 2, released in 2020, significantly improved on the first&#8217;s protein structure accuracy predictions.&nbsp;
The company adds that millions of researchers&nbsp;have used AlphaFold 2 to make discoveries in malaria vaccines, cancer treatments&nbsp;and&nbsp;enzyme design. AlphaFold has been cited more than 20,000 times&nbsp;and&nbsp;its scientific impact.
AlphaFold 3&nbsp;generates a joint 3D structure with an input list of molecules, revealing how they all fit together.&nbsp;
It models large biomolecules such as proteins, DN, and RNA, as well as&nbsp;small molecules, also known as ligands — a category encompassing many drugs.&nbsp;
Furthermore, AlphaFold 3 can model chemical modifications to these molecules, which control the healthy functioning of cells that, when disrupted, can lead to disease.
In January, Isomorphic Labs <a href="https://www.isomorphiclabs.com/articles/isomorphic-labs-kicks-off-2024-with-two-pharmaceutical-collaborations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> its two commercial partners, Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) and Novartis AG (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVS#NYSE">NVS</a>). Both the deals are multi-target and focused on small molecules.
Price Action:&nbsp;GOOG shares are down 0.96% at $171.34 at last check Wednesday.
Now Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/05/38706682/chinese-stocks-surge-as-investors-bet-on-economic-turnaround-7-etfs-to-watch">Chinese Stocks Surge As Investors Bet On Economic Turnaround &#8211; 7 ETFs To Watch</a>
Image: Shutterstock

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GOOG

GOOGL

Google DeepMind Develops Latest AI Model To Aid Scientists In Fighting Disease

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bearish move on Eli Lilly and Co. Our analysis of options history for Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) revealed 18 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 27% of traders were bullish, while 38% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 4 were puts, with a value of $154,090, and 14 were calls, valued at $1,229,175.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $240.0 and $840.0 for Eli Lilly and Co, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Eli Lilly and Co's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Eli Lilly and Co's whale activity within a strike price range from $240.0 to $840.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Eli Lilly and Co Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715179565_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$538.0</td>
<td>$533.0</td>
<td>$538.0</td>
<td>$240.00</td>
<td>$538.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">11</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$51.6</td>
<td>$49.65</td>
<td>$49.65</td>
<td>$780.00</td>
<td>$248.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">332</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$25.75</td>
<td>$25.25</td>
<td>$25.25</td>
<td>$840.00</td>
<td>$75.7K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">113</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$5.85</td>
<td>$5.4</td>
<td>$5.66</td>
<td>$775.00</td>
<td>$56.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">101</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/31/24</td>
<td>$22.5</td>
<td>$21.35</td>
<td>$22.5</td>
<td>$770.00</td>
<td>$54.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">287</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Eli Lilly and Co</h3>
Eli Lilly is a drug firm with a focus on neuroscience, cardiometabolic, cancer, and immunology. Lilly's key products include Verzenio for cancer; Mounjaro, Zepbound, Jardiance, Trulicity, Humalog, and Humulin for diabetes; and Taltz and Olumiant for immunology.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Eli Lilly and Co, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Present Market Standing of Eli Lilly and Co</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 578,252, the price of LLY is down by -0.36%, reaching $775.0.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 90 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Eli Lilly and Co</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $826.0.
<ul>
<li>Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald lowers its rating to Overweight with a new price target of $815.</li>
<li>An analyst from Truist Securities persists with their Buy rating on Eli Lilly and Co, maintaining a target price of $892. </li>
<li>An analyst from Goldman Sachs has decided to maintain their Neutral rating on Eli Lilly and Co, which currently sits at a price target of $723. </li>
<li>In a cautious move, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald downgraded its rating to Overweight, setting a price target of $815. </li>
<li>An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald has revised its rating downward to Overweight, adjusting the price target to $885. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Eli Lilly and Co options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

This Is What Whales Are Betting On Eli Lilly and Co

Legendary hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller is known for making the right bets at the right time.
He came to fame In the early &#8217;90s after a short against the British pound earned George Soros, his boss at the time, over $10 billion overnight.
Since then, his hedge fund Duquesne Capital, now called Duquesne Family Office, has made an average of 30% returns a year.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, 70-year-old Druckenmiller boasts a fortune of almost $10 billion.
In a CNBC interview from Tuesday morning, Druckenmiller said he's not sure how he was able to achieve such impressive returns on a consistent basis for all these years.
"I have no idea. I don't know how I did it. So, I don't even know who that person was," he said.
Yet throughout the years, the investor has shared enough advice and other information that his investment philosophy can be pieced together.
According to SEC filings, the Duquesne Family Office's largest equity investment by the end of 2023 was Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), owning more than 1 million shares, reaching 13% of the fund's holdings.
Other large holdings include Korean e-commerce company Coupang Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPNG#NYSE">CPNG</a>), NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>), Teck Resources Ltd Class B (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TECK#NYSE">TECK</a>) and Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STX#NASDAQ">STX</a>).
Druckenmiller mentioned he exited some of his Nvidia positions after the stock went from $150 to $900 in just a few months.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/37528607">Analyst Warns Of 60% Market Crash Amid Recession Fears: &#8216;Probably Going To Turn Lower&#8217;</a>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Druckenmiller's Five Tips For Investing Success</h1>
• Learning from the best beats a high pay: &#8220;If you're early on in your career and they give you a choice between a great mentor or higher pay, take the mentor every time. It's not even close,&#8221; said Druckenmiller, <a href="http://www.quoteswise.com/stanley-druckenmiller-quotes-2.html">according</a> to QuoteWise.
Druckenmiller worked as a fund manager for the Quantum Fund, under the guidance of billionaire philanthropist Soros for over 12 years between 1988 and 2000.
• Bet on your convictions: In 2008, Druckenmiller said he learned a lot from Soros, but not what he initially expected to learn.
"I did not learn what makes the yen go up or down, or what makes the stock market go up or down. Soros's great gift was how to use leverage, and how much money to have down based on the risk/reward and your sense of conviction. His view on the yen or the euro was better than random, but not much. And yet he was still one of the great money managers ever because he knew how to bet his convictions."
• Sometimes it's okay to put all your eggs in one basket: "The mistake I'd say 98% of money managers and individuals make is they feel like they got to be playing in a bunch of stuff. If you really see it, put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket very carefully.&#8221; 
• Look ahead, always: &#8220;Never, ever invest in the present. It doesn't matter what a company's earning, what they have earned&#8230; you have to visualize the situation 18 months from now, and whatever that is, that's where the price will be."
• Diversify across asset classes, not just across industries: "I was also lucky to travel across asset classes. I traded commodities, currencies, bonds and equities, and it gave me discipline, if I didn't have a good idea in equities, I was happy to have no equities."
Now Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/38398735">Jeff Bezos-Backed Perplexity AI Is Now A Unicorn After Latest Fundraise: SoftBank&#8217;s Masayoshi Son, Nvidia &#8216;Doubled Down&#8217; On Support</a>

Education

Hedge Funds

Success Stories

Personal Finance

CPNG

MSFT

NVDA

TECK

Hedge Fund Legend Druckenmiller Shares His Top Secrets For 30% Returns

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Health Care sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BMY</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$42.00</td>
<td>$39.1K</td>
<td>899</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VRTX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$395.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>975</td>
<td>950</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MRK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$129.00</td>
<td>$34.2K</td>
<td>410</td>
<td>636</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PGNY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>515</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$775.00</td>
<td>$84.2K</td>
<td>625</td>
<td>420</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ZTS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$71.9K</td>
<td>32</td>
<td>251</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HUM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$146.2K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>199</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PEN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$45.7K</td>
<td>88</td>
<td>150</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$230.00</td>
<td>$32.0K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UNH</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$148.5K</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding BMY (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMY#NYSE">BMY</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 164 day(s) on October 18, 2024. Parties traded 203 contract(s) at a $42.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 17 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.1K, with a price of $193.0 per contract. There were 899 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1341 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For VRTX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRTX#NASDAQ">VRTX</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 10, 2024. This event was a transfer of 880 contract(s) at a $395.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.4K, with a price of $30.0 per contract. There were 975 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 950 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MRK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRK#NYSE">MRK</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 230 contract(s) at a $129.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.2K, with a price of $149.0 per contract. There were 410 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 636 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PGNY (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PGNY#NASDAQ">PGNY</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 10 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 196 contract(s) at a $35.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.4K, with a price of $135.0 per contract. There were 1279 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 515 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LLY (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on May 10, 2024. This event was a transfer of 101 contract(s) at a $775.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $84.2K, with a price of $835.0 per contract. There were 625 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 420 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ZTS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZTS#NYSE">ZTS</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 153 contract(s) at a $175.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 31 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $71.9K, with a price of $470.0 per contract. There were 32 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 251 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For HUM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 195 contract(s) at a $320.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 41 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $146.2K, with a price of $750.0 per contract. There were 1212 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 199 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PEN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEN#NYSE">PEN</a>), we observe a put option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 10 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 150 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $45.7K, with a price of $305.0 per contract. There were 88 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 150 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CRL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRL#NYSE">CRL</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 10 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $230.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.0K, with a price of $640.0 per contract. There were 1645 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 50 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding UNH (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>), we observe a put option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 227 day(s) on December 20, 2024. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $500.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $148.5K, with a price of $2970.0 per contract. There were 4 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 50 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

PGNY

VRTX

Tuesday, the FDA said it would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-statement-fda-advisory-committee-meeting-donanemab-early" rel="noreferrer noopener">convene</a>&nbsp;an&nbsp;in-person meeting&nbsp;of the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee on Monday, June 10, 2024, to discuss&nbsp;Eli Lilly and Co&#8217;s&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) donanemab for early symptomatic Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.&nbsp;
The open public hearing portion of the meeting will be conducted virtually.
The Phase 3 study submitted as part of this application, TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2, is a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of donanemab in participants ages 60-85 years with early symptomatic Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.
In March, the agency said that it wants to understand topics related to evaluating the safety and efficacy of donanemab, including the safety results in&nbsp;donanemab-treated&nbsp;patients and the efficacy implications of the unique trial design of the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study, including its limited-duration dosing regimen that allowed patients to complete treatment based on an assessment of amyloid plaque and the&nbsp;inclusion of participants&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/03/37558545/eli-lillys-donanemab-for-alzheimers-hits-fda-speed-breaker-biogen-stock-gains-on-delayed-decision" rel="noreferrer noopener">based on tau levels</a>.
Last year in March, Eli Lilly released the results of the TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 Phase 3 study of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/05/32215612/analysts-say-eli-lillys-donanemab-in-alzheimers-is-encouraging-outline-potential-im" rel="noreferrer noopener">donanemab for Alzheimer&#8217;s disease</a>.
Donanemab treatment slowed clinical decline by 35% compared to placebo and resulted in 40% less decline on the ability to perform activities of daily living.
Lilly&nbsp;continues to study donanemab in multiple clinical trials, including TRAILBLAZER-ALZ-3, studying donanemab for the prevention of Alzheimer&#8217;s disease.
Price Action: LLY shares are up 0.88% at $773.40 at last check Tuesday.
Photo by rafapress on Shutterstock

Topics

What About Eli Lilly's Drug For Early Alzheimer's? FDA Panel To Discuss Next Month

Eli Lilly Says FDA To Convene In-person Meeting Of Peripheral & Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee On June 10, To Discuss Donanemab

Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 10.37% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 22.64%. Currently, Eli Lilly and Co has a market capitalization of $728.91 billion. 
Buying $100 In LLY: If an investor had bought $100 of LLY stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $2,168.83 today based on a price of $766.95 for LLY at the time of writing.
<h3>Eli Lilly and Co's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715029241_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$100 Invested In This Stock 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth $2,200 Today

WIIM

Lilly shares are trading higher after the stock fell last week on competing weight loss drug updates from Amgen.

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in LLY usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 35 extraordinary options activities for Eli Lilly and Co. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 62% leaning bullish and 31% bearish. Among these notable options, 4 are puts, totaling $163,255, and 31 are calls, amounting to $1,565,727.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $240.0 and $860.0 for Eli Lilly and Co, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Eli Lilly and Co stands at 273.5, with a total volume reaching 2,377.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Eli Lilly and Co, situated within the strike price corridor from $240.0 to $860.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>Eli Lilly and Co Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715010346_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$512.8</td>
<td>$510.0</td>
<td>$510.0</td>
<td>$240.00</td>
<td>$255.0K</td>
<td>16</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$5.95</td>
<td>$5.45</td>
<td>$5.95</td>
<td>$860.00</td>
<td>$119.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$9.45</td>
<td>$8.15</td>
<td>$8.89</td>
<td>$750.00</td>
<td>$91.4K</td>
<td>384</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">203</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$36.65</td>
<td>$34.0</td>
<td>$34.6</td>
<td>$800.00</td>
<td>$62.2K</td>
<td>669</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">29</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$10.5</td>
<td>$10.4</td>
<td>$10.5</td>
<td>$750.00</td>
<td>$61.9K</td>
<td>384</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">563</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Eli Lilly and Co</h3>
Eli Lilly is a drug firm with a focus on neuroscience, cardiometabolic, cancer, and immunology. Lilly's key products include Verzenio for cancer; Mounjaro, Zepbound, Jardiance, Trulicity, Humalog, and Humulin for diabetes; and Taltz and Olumiant for immunology.
<h3>Eli Lilly and Co's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 1,061,684, the price of LLY is up 2.32% at $752.02. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 92 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Eli Lilly and Co</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $866.2.
<ul>
<li>An analyst from JP Morgan has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Eli Lilly and Co, which currently sits at a price target of $900. </li>
<li>An analyst from Goldman Sachs persists with their Neutral rating on Eli Lilly and Co, maintaining a target price of $723. </li>
<li>An analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald has revised its rating downward to Overweight, adjusting the price target to $815. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Truist Securities keeps a Buy rating on Eli Lilly and Co with a target price of $892. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from BMO Capital keeps a Outperform rating on Eli Lilly and Co with a target price of $1001. </li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Eli Lilly and Co with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

The first-quarter 2024 earnings season is almost over as far as large drugmakers are concerned. Eli Lilly (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lly#NYSE">LLY</a>), Novo Nordisk (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvo#NYSE">NVO</a>), Pfizer (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pfe#NYSE">PFE</a>) and AbbVie (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/abbv#NYSE">ABBV</a>) announced their first-quarter results this week. J&amp;J (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/jnj#NYSE">JNJ</a>) announced a new plan to completely resolve its talc-related lawsuits.
<h3>Recap of the Week&#39;s Most Important Stories</h3>
Earnings Update: Pfizer&#39;s first-quarter results were strong as it beat estimates for earnings as well as sales. While sales of COVID products declined due to lower demand, some key non-COVID products like Prevnar, Vyndaqel and Eliquis, new launches like Abrysvo and newly acquired products from Seagen boosted the top line in the first quarter. Sales of all key products like Prevnar, Vyndaqel and Eliquis beat estimates. Seagen drugs contributed $742 million to the top line in the first quarter. Revenues from Pfizer&#39;s non-COVID products rose 11% operationally in the first quarter.
The company raised its 2024 earnings guidance while retaining revenue expectations. Adjusted earnings are expected in the range of $2.15 to $2.35 versus the prior expectation of $2.05 to $2.25 per share.The revenue guidance was maintained in the range of $58.5 to $61.5 billion in 2024, almost flat from the 2023 levels.
Lilly&#39;s first-quarter results were soft as it beat estimates for earnings but missed the same for sales. Strong demand for Mounjaro, Zepbound, Verzenio and Jardiance pulled the top line in the quarter. However, continued supply constraints for incretin-based products like Trulicity, Mounjaro and Zepbound hurt sales. Demand for incretin-based products exceeded supply.
Mounjaro recorded sales of $1.81 billion during the quarter, while Zepbound&#39;s sales were $517.4 million. Lilly is investing in new advanced manufacturing plants and lines in the United States and Europe to increase supply. Lilly expects the production of incretin-based products to increase from the second half of 2024. &quot;Greater visibility&quot; on its production expansion plans and strong demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound pushed Lilly to raise its sales and earnings guidance ranges for 2024. Lilly expects revenues in the range of $42.4 billion to $43.6 billion compared with the prior expectation of $40.4 to $41.6 billion. The earnings per share guidance was raised from the range of $12.20 to $12.70 to $13.50 to $14.00 per share.
Novo Nordisk beat estimates for both earnings and sales. Revenues rose 24% at a constant exchange rate (CER), driven by strong sales of its diabetes and obesity care products, mainly GLP-1 products. Its GLP-1 diabetes sales increased 32% at CER. Total Diabetes care rose 24% and Obesity care sales increased 42% at CER. Sales of the diabetes drug Ozempic rose 43%, while Wegovy rose 107% at CER. Rare disease segment sales were down 3%.
Backed by strong sales performance of Ozempic and Wegovy, Novo Nordisk raised its sales growth expectation for 2024 from a range of 18-26% at CER to 19-27%, while the operating profit growth range was raised from 21-29% to 22-30%at CER.
AbbVie beat estimates for both earnings and sales in the first quarter. While sales rose 0.7% year over year, earnings declined 6.1%. Sales of key immunology medicines Skyrizi and Rinvoq rose 47.6% and 59.3% on a reported basis, respectively, driven by successful label expansions to new indications. Humira sales declined 35.9% due to generic erosion. The company also raised its EPS guidance for 2024. AbbVie expects adjusted EPS in the range of $11.13-$11.33, up from the previously provided EPS guidance of $10.97-$11.17.
FDA Approves Pfizer&#39;s Hemophilia Gene Therapy: The FDA granted approval to Pfizer&#39;s gene therapy fidanacogene elaparvovec for the treatment of adults with hemophilia B, a rare genetic bleeding disorder. The therapy will be marketed by the name of Beqvez. Beqvez is a one-time treatment which will allow hemophilia B patients to produce factor, a blood clotting factor, themselves compared to the current standard of care,&nbsp;which require regular FIX infusions, thereby reducing the treatment burden for these patients. The approval is based on positive data from the phase III study called BENEGENE-2. A regulatory application is also under review in Europe. Beqvez was recently approved in Canada.
J&amp;J&#39;s New Plan to Resolve Talc Lawsuits: J&amp;J announced that its subsidiary,&nbsp;LTL Management, which was established to manage claims in the cosmetic talc litigation,&nbsp;has proposed a &quot;Plan of Reorganization&quot; to resolve all present and future pending ovarian cancer talc lawsuits
J&amp;J faces more than 50,000 lawsuits for its talc-based products, primarily its baby powders. The lawsuits allege that its talc products contain asbestos, which caused many women to develop ovarian cancer.
LTL Management twice filed for voluntary bankruptcy to equitably resolve all present and future talc-related claims. However, both the bankruptcy filings were rejected by courts stating that J&amp;J was not in enough financial stress to qualify for bankruptcy.
Per the new plan, to completely resolve its cosmetic talc litigation, J&amp;J has offered to pay $6.48 billion to claimants over a period of 25 years. If 75% of claimants vote in favor of the plan, J&amp;J will file a third bankruptcy filing. The company claims that if the plan is approved by claimants through a majority vote, it would resolve 99.75% of all pending talc lawsuits against J&amp;J.
J&amp;J filed regulatory applications to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) seeking approval for its immunology medicine, Tremfya, for two new indications &mdash; moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) and moderately to severely active Crohn&#39;s disease.
Tremfya is presently approved to treat certain patients with plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis in several countries, including the United States and the EU. The applications for the UC indication were based on data from the phase III QUASAR study, while that for Crohn&#39;s disease was based on the phase III GALAXI. J&amp;J has also filed an application seeking expanded use of Tremfya for the UC indication to the FDA.
The NYSE ARCA Pharmaceutical Index rose 1.2% in the last five trading sessions.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return</h3>
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stocks/industry-rank/industry/large-cap-pharmaceuticals-126?icid=chart-large-cap-pharmaceuticals-industry-5yr-return"><img alt="Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/0c/1714730740.png" style="height:268px; width:553px" title="" /> </a>
Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return
Here&#39;s how the eight major stocks performed in the last five trading sessions.
</div>
<img alt="Zacks Investment Research" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/articles/charts/1e/66091.jpg?v=1269077275" /> 
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the last five trading sessions, Pfizer rose the most (9.6%), while AbbVie declined the most (3.9%).
In the past six months, Lilly has risen the highest (27.0%), while Pfizer has declined the most (11.2%).
<h3>What&#39;s Next in the Pharma World?</h3>
Watch this space for regular pipeline and regulatory updates next week.
Lilly, Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, AbbVie and J&amp;J have a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2268082/pharma-stock-roundup-lly-nvo-pfe-q1-results-jnj-s-new-plan-to-resolve-talc-claims?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|stock_roundup-2268082">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

ABBV

Pharma Stock Roundup: LLY, NVO, PFE Q1 Results, JNJ's New Plan to Resolve Talc Claims

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BMY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$47.00</td>
<td>$54.8K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ARDX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/03/24</td>
<td>$7.50</td>
<td>$37.5K</td>
<td>921</td>
<td>435</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMGN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$320.00</td>
<td>$48.3K</td>
<td>20</td>
<td>250</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BDX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$235.00</td>
<td>$111.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>207</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HROW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$6.00</td>
<td>$49.2K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$49.9K</td>
<td>111</td>
<td>76</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MDGL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$61.5K</td>
<td>62</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DXCM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$41.2K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>43</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LLY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$650.00</td>
<td>$46.0K</td>
<td>131</td>
<td>42</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TMDX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$31.8K</td>
<td>115</td>
<td>26</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding BMY (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMY#NYSE">BMY</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 49 day(s) on June 21, 2024. Parties traded 1276 contract(s) at a $47.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 26 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.8K, with a price of $43.0 per contract. There were 1632 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1797 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ARDX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARDX#NASDAQ">ARDX</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 250 contract(s) at a $7.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.5K, with a price of $150.0 per contract. There were 921 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 435 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMGN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 105 day(s) on August 16, 2024. This event was a transfer of 24 contract(s) at a $320.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $48.3K, with a price of $2015.0 per contract. There were 20 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 250 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BDX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BDX#NYSE">BDX</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 14 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 206 contract(s) at a $235.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 26 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $111.2K, with a price of $540.0 per contract. There were 1190 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 207 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding HROW (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HROW#NASDAQ">HROW</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 168 day(s) on October 18, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $6.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.2K, with a price of $492.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 100 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CI (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CI#NYSE">CI</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 196 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 21 contract(s) at a $350.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.9K, with a price of $2380.0 per contract. There were 111 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 76 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MDGL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDGL#NASDAQ">MDGL</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 77 day(s) on July 19, 2024. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $260.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $61.5K, with a price of $1230.0 per contract. There were 62 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 50 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DXCM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXCM#NASDAQ">DXCM</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 231 day(s) on December 20, 2024. Parties traded 43 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.2K, with a price of $960.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 43 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding LLY (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 14 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 5 contract(s) at a $650.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.0K, with a price of $9200.0 per contract. There were 131 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 42 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TMDX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMDX#NASDAQ">TMDX</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 77 day(s) on July 19, 2024. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.8K, with a price of $3180.0 per contract. There were 115 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 26 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ARDX

DXCM

HROW

MDGL

TMDX

10 Health Care Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Biotechnology is an interesting place to look if you&rsquo;re looking for growth and are not put off by severe levels of volatility. Undoubtedly, there&rsquo;s a bit of speculative zest regarding some of the smaller <a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/healthcare/biotech/">biotech stocks</a> out there, many of whom depend on just a handful of pipeline candidates.



As pipeline hopefuls progress through clinical trials, there&rsquo;s bound to be needle-moving news. When it comes to the most-watched drugs and treatments, a biotech stock can easily pop or plunge based on progress, setbacks, or anything in between.



While the level of growth is more sizeable with small- and mid-cap biotech stocks, I&rsquo;d much rather be a buyer of the behemoths. They tend to be on stabler footing, with large pipelines and the means to make money (something not all junior biotech companies can do in the early days).



Though I&rsquo;m not against diversifying into biotech exchange-traded funds (ETFs), I do think it&rsquo;s more exciting to explore the potential behind industry heavyweights that have the talent and money to spend researching next-generation treatments for diseases plaguing the world. Here are three biotech giants on my radar right now:



<h2>Eli Lilly (LLY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/lly_eli_lilly_1600-300x169.png" alt="Eli Lilly and Company World Headquarters. Lilly makes Medicines and Pharmaceuticals XI"><div>Source: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Eli Lilly (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lly-stock-quote/">LLY</a>) stock has gone parabolic in recent quarters. With shares now up more than 550% in the past five years, questions linger as to what can help Lilly keep the recent share price momentum going strong. 



I&rsquo;m not one for chasing stocks after they&rsquo;ve doubled in just over a year&rsquo;s time. That said, I do find Lilly has many drivers that could help it grow well after GLP-1 drugs lose their initial luster. There&rsquo;s still plenty of demand for such obesity drugs, but as more rivals go on the market, Lilly needs to keep pulling remarkable innovations of its pipeline to retain and add to recent gains. 



Perhaps the biggest reason to stick with Lilly for the long run lies in AI-fuelled innovation. It has the talent; now it&rsquo;s poised to augment such talent with powerful AI models. 



Last year, the company struck a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xtalpi-announces-collaboration-with-lilly-using-ai--robotics-to-uncover-first-in-class-therapeutics-301837142.html">$250 million deal</a> with XtalPi to work on AI&mdash;and robotics-assisted drug discovery. This exciting collaboration may offer a glimmer of what the future holds for Lilly and the top innovators in the biotech industry.



In many ways, I find the elevated multiple on LLY stock is warranted, given what the next 10 years could hold. Call it the Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvda-stock-quote/">NVDA</a>) of biotech, if you will.



<h2>Novo Nordisk (NVO)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/nvo-stock-300x169.jpg" alt="Novo Nordisk logo on a corporate building"><div>Source: joreks / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Novo Nordisk (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvo-stock-quote/">NVO</a>) is the European biotech firm behind Ozempic, perhaps the weight-loss drug that started it all. Like shares of LLY, NVO stock has been red-hot in recent quarters. That is until it reported its first-quarter earnings, which, while solid, caused shares to dip before recovering ground in the following sessions. Now off 5.5% from its all-time high, the stock chart suggests now may be a good time to take some of that fat profit off the table.



At 44.75 times trailing price-to-earnings (P/E), though, I still don&rsquo;t consider Novo to be an absurdly expensive stock given its laser focus on &ldquo;one-upping&rdquo; itself. Even if whatever comes next cannibalizes Ozempic and Wegovy sales, I&rsquo;d argue that, like GPUs (graphics processing units), Novo needs to keep investing in innovation to stay ahead of the pack, especially not that more than a handful of firms are targeting the massive obesity market.



Last week, Novo shed light on a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/metaphore-biotechnologies-partner-with-novo-nordisk-obesity-therapies-2024-05-09/">research project</a> and collaboration with Metaphore Pharmaceuticals that seeks to put two more obesity products in its pipeline. That&rsquo;s big news, and if all goes well, perhaps there will be no catching the biotech behemoth.



<h2>Pfizer (PFE)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/pfe-stock-3-300x169.jpg" alt="Pfizer logo on Pfizer building. Pfizer is an American pharmaceutical corporation."><div>Source: Manuel Esteban / Shutterstock.com</div></div>From red-hot momentum plays to a major biopharma laggard and potential deep-value play, we have Pfizer (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pfe-stock-quote/">PFE</a>), a firm that&rsquo;s battling through quite a few headwinds of late. From Seagen acquisition uncertainties to a patent cliff to the fall of the COVID-19 business, it&rsquo;s clear PFE stock will not be for everyone to catch on the way down.



The stock has shed more than 53% of its value from its peak levels. And though there are headwinds, there&rsquo;s still hope for the firm as it seeks to outgrow pressures that could weigh down future quarters. 



During its latest round of earnings, Pfizer posted a good earnings result alongside a slight hike to its 2024 earnings guidance. It wasn&rsquo;t a massive guidance hike, but nonetheless, given how battered PFE stock has been of late, it seemed like any bit of positives were to be given a thumbs up by investors. 



Dismiss Pfizer as a value trap, if you will, but it has a <a href="https://www.precisionmedicineonline.com/business-news/pfizer-doubles-down-oncology-ambitions-cancer-rx-sales-climb-18-percent-q1#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20%E2%80%93%20After%20successfully%20completing,its%20portfolio%20from%20five%20to">great cancer franchise</a> and a stacked, diversified pipeline that could help power a rebound at some point down the line.



On the date of publication, Joey Frenette did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://protect-us.mimecast.com/s/YUYqC31vVVI7KAkriDfKi6?domain=investorplace.com/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Joey Frenette is a seasoned investment writer specializing in technology and consumer stocks. Contributing to the Motley Fool Canada, TipRanks, and Barchart, Joey excels in spotting mispriced stocks with long-term growth potential in a fast-paced market.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/biotech-behemoths-3-giants-set-to-dominate-the-health-scene/">Biotech Behemoths: 3 Giants Set to Dominate the Health Scene</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Biotech Behemoths: 3 Giants Set to Dominate the Health Scene

SPMO: Buying What Already Went Up Works

Lilly target price raised at Argus on Mounjaro, Zepbound sales

Sometimes all it takes is a little extra analyst sentiment to push a stock up. And sometimes, it doesn't help at all. That's what happened, oddly e...

New Analyst Adjustments Prove Little Help to Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY)

Pfizer: Best Trading Momentum Since 2021 And 6% Yield

Reassessing Amphastar Pharmaceuticals

Short interest in S&P 500 healthcare sector dips in April, biotechnology companies most shorted

Least shorted S&P 500 stocks as a percentage of float

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
If you think you&rsquo;ve missed the rally in high-flying <a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-types/growth-stocks/">growth stocks</a>, think again. Even though the market is close to all-time highs, many well-known growth stocks still have plenty of room to run. Owing to the bear market that ran for most of 2022 and into 2023, many growth stocks are still in recovery mode and only now <a href="https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/money/invest-in-growth-stocks">approaching their former highs</a>.



Additionally, many growth stocks are benefiting from sector-specific catalysts, whether it be demand for artificial intelligence products, a rebound in online advertisements, or the continued strength of consumer spending. Growth stocks should also catch a tailwind once the Federal Reserve finally starts to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/futures-edge-higher-rate-cut-bets-2024-05-06/">lower interest rates</a> later this year and into 2025.



Here is a look at Wall Street favorites: three growth stocks with strong buy ratings for May 2024. 



<h2>Broadcom (AVGO)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/artificial-intelligence-ai-computer-chip-1600-300x169.jpg" alt='AI stocks to Buy, Close-up of letters "AI" written on a computer chip, symbolizing artificial intelligence and AI stocks. ai chip stocks'><div>Source: shutterstock.com/YAKOBCHUK V</div></div>The consensus view among 24 Wall Street analysts is that chipmaker Broadcom (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/avgo-stock-quote/">AVGO</a>) is a strong buy. The <a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/avgo/forecast">median price target</a> on the shares is $1,571.55, implying an 18% upside from current levels.



Analysts agree that Broadcom is likely to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2024/04/01/broadcom-scales-connectivity-and-performance-for-advanced-ai-workloads/?sh=1a841a18631d">benefit</a> from continued demand for microchips and semiconductors, particularly the ones that power artificial intelligence models.



Broadcom is next scheduled to report earnings on June 12. Astute investors might want to take a position in AVGO stock before the next financial results are released, given that the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/broadcom-earnings-stock-price-879dfa39">most recent print</a> in March was strong. 



Broadcom managed to beat Wall Street forecasts on the top and bottom lines. Management emphasized that they continue to see <a href="https://www.fool.com/earnings/call-transcripts/2024/03/07/broadcom-avgo-q1-2024-earnings-call-transcript/">strong demand</a> for their chips in AI data centers.



One of Broadcom&rsquo;s strengths is its diversification. The company&rsquo;s chips and semiconductors are used in sectors ranging from networking and broadband to wireless and industrial applications. Moreover, AVGO stock has more doubled in the last 12 months.



<h2>Amazon (AMZN)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/amzn_amazon_2_1600-300x169.png" alt="Closeup of the Amazon logo at Amazon campus in Palo Alto, California. The Palo Alto location hosts A9 Search, Amazon Web Services, and Amazon Game Studios teams. AMZN stock"><div>Source: Tada Images / Shutterstock.com</div></div>E-commerce giant Amazon (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amzn-stock-quote/">AMZN</a>) rates a <a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/amzn/forecast">strong buy</a> from the 41 professional analysts covering its progress. The median price target on AMZN stock is $220, which is nearly 20% higher than the current share price. 



It&rsquo;s worth noting that the lowest price target of $200 a share is about 8% higher than where the stock is trading right now. Analysts like both the improved growth and cost controls they&rsquo;re seeing from Amazon.



The company&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/30/amazon-amzn-q1-earnings-report-2024.html">financial results</a> from this year&rsquo;s first quarter were exceptional, driven by accelerating growth in online advertising and cloud computing. <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/">Amazon Web Services</a>, the company&rsquo;s cloud computing unit, recorded $25 billion of revenue and accounted for 62% of total operating profit in the quarter. Advertising sales surged 24% from a year earlier to $11.80 billion.



In a sign that the company&rsquo;s cost-cutting measures are working, operating income soared more than 200% during the first quarter to $15.30 billion. About the only thing people could criticize about the earnings report is that Amazon didn&rsquo;t declare its <a href="https://www.suredividend.com/amazon-dividend/">first quarterly dividend</a> payment to shareholders. AMZN stock is up about 65% in the last 12 months.



<h2>Eli Lilly &amp; Co. (LLY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/eli-lilly-lly-stock-sign-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Eli Lilly (LLY) sign on corporate building with blue sky in background"><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Michael Vi</div></div>Shares of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lly-stock-quote/">LLY</a>) have enjoyed a big run, rising about 80% in the last year and gaining more than 550% over the past five years. 



Still, analysts see more runway ahead. 



The 19 analysts tracking Eli Lilly rate its stock a <a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/lly/forecast">strong buy</a> with a median price target of $891.59, which is 17% higher than current levels. The lowest price target of $740 is closer to where the shares are trading now.



At the end of April, Eli Lilly delivered solid <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/30/eli-lilly-lly-earnings-q1-2024.html#:~:text=Eli%20Lilly%20posted%20net%20income,a%20share%2C%20a%20year%20earlier.">Q1 financial results</a> and raised its forward guidance as sales of its weight-loss drug takeoff. The Q1 print included the first full quarter of weight-loss drug <a href="https://zepbound.lilly.com/">Zepbound&rsquo;s</a> sales. The drug, which was <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/fda-approves-zepbound-weight-loss-drug">approved</a> by regulators last fall, reported $517.4 million in Q1 revenue. Executives said they&rsquo;re <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/zepbound-shortage-eli-lilly-weight-loss-drug-rcna148232">struggling</a> with shortages of Zepbound due to exceptionally strong global demand.



Some analysts have forecast that Zepbound could post <a href="https://apnews.com/article/eli-lilly-mounjaro-zepbound-sales-4ec0258e0b11580374afb9896f6221f7">more than $1 billion in sales</a> in its first year on the market, and that it might become the biggest selling drug of all time. Analysts also agree that the weight-loss drug will continue to power Eli Lilly&rsquo;s revenue.



On the date of publication, Joel Baglole&nbsp;held a long position in LLY. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Finvestorplace.com%2Fcorporate%2Finvestorplace-publishing-guidelines%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7C%7C5a525d9084ae4cdfb8f008da1edbf06e%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637856227247256778%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&amp;sdata=uLFH3ol2mcVxuJrHYW3xDLVx3qGIvonIwHvcfUa%2Fo24%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Joel Baglole has been a business journalist for 20 years. He spent five years as a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal, and has also written for The Washington Post and Toronto Star newspapers, as well as financial websites such as The Motley Fool and Investopedia.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/wall-street-favorites-3-growth-stocks-with-strong-buy-ratings-for-may-2024/">Wall Street Favorites: 3 Growth Stocks With Strong Buy Ratings for May 2024</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Wall Street Favorites: 3 Growth Stocks With Strong Buy Ratings for May 2024

Duquesne Family Office top Q1 buys, cuts: Coherent, Eli Lilly, others

AAPL

AMPH

AMZN

AVGO

AZNCF

BMYMP

COHR

FLEX

GILD

GOLD

MRNA

NONOF

NTRA

NVSEF

SNYNF

SPMO

TRMB

XMMO

Press Releases

Lilly Confirms Date and Conference Call for First-Quarter 2024 Financial Results Announcement

Tirzepatide reduced sleep apnea severity by up to nearly two-thirds in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity

Navigating Interest Rate Speculations and M&A Trends with a Spotlight on Actinium Pharmaceuticals (ATNM)

Actinium Pharmaceuticals (ATNM) Leads Biotech Innovation Amid Economic Uncertainty

Investment Opportunities in Biotech Amidst Federal Rate Uncertainties (ATNM)

6 Stocks Positioned to Soar as Investors Focus on MASH

Lilly Reports First-Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Raises Full-Year Revenue Guidance by $2 Billion, Highlights Pipeline Momentum

Dividends

Lilly Declares Second-Quarter 2024 Dividend

Actinium Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: ATNM): A Prime Target in a Wave of Radiopharmaceutical Mergers and Acquisitions

Alonzo Weems to Retire as Executive Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer

AKRO

ATNM

BIXT

CANF

CRBP

ETNB

GALT

GLTO

PHAT

RYTM

VINC

Axsome Therapeutics

AstraZeneca PLC - American Depositary Shares

AstraZeneca

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Common Stock

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated - Common Stock

Corcept Therapeutics

Catalent

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated Common Stock

Elanco Animal Health

GSK plc American Depositary Shares (Each representing two Ordinary Shares)

HUTCHMED (China) Limited - American Depositary Shares

HUTCHMED (China)

Indivior

Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc. - Common Stock

Intra-Cellular Therapies

Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc - Ordinary Shares

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Johnson & Johnson

Merck & Co

Novo Nordisk

Novartis

Organon

Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. Common Stock

Prestige Consumer

Pfizer

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd Common Stock

Dr Reddy's Laboratories

Royalty Pharma plc - Class A Ordinary Shares

Royalty Pharma

Sanofi

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited American Depositary Shares (each representing 1/2 of a share of Common Stock)

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Eli Lilly and Co Stock (NYSE:LLY), Short Interest Report

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