13 Best Long Term Low Risk Stocks to Buy Now

2. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)

Beta (5Y Monthly): 0.39

5-Year Return: 406.7%

On February 5, Goldman Sachs raised its price recommendation on Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) to $1,260 from $1,145. The firm reiterated its Buy rating on the stock. Shares jumped about 10% after the company posted a strong earnings beat and issued 2026 guidance that came in above expectations. In a note to investors, Goldman said the outlook points to roughly 25% year-over-year growth and reflects continued confidence in the obesity drug market, even as pricing pressure picks up. The firm said attention is now likely to shift toward the planned second-quarter 2026 launch of Lilly’s oral obesity pill, orforglipron. Management has suggested that any cannibalization of injectable treatments should be limited and that early signs support further expansion of the overall GLP-1 market.

A day earlier, on February 4, Lilly laid out a bullish growth outlook for 2026, driven by strong demand for obesity treatments, and appeared largely unfazed by pricing pressures that have weighed on rival Novo Nordisk. Lilly expects revenue to rise by about 25% this year, while Novo Nordisk has forecast a 5% to 13% decline in sales for 2026. The contrast highlights how the competitive landscape is increasingly shaped by consumer demand rather than insurance coverage.

Lilly expects to launch orforglipron in the U.S. in the second quarter, with most international markets following in 2027, according to Ken Custer, the company’s head of cardiometabolic health, speaking on the earnings call. For 2026, Lilly forecast earnings of $33.50 to $35 per share, with even the low end of the range above the analyst consensus of $33.23, based on data from LSEG. The company also guided to full-year revenue of $80 billion to $83 billion, well ahead of Wall Street expectations of $77.62 billion.

For the fourth quarter, Lilly reported earnings of $7.54 per share, compared with expectations of $6.67. Revenue climbed to $19.3 billion, also exceeding forecasts of $17.96 billion.

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) develops, manufactures, and markets medicines worldwide. Alongside its core pharmaceutical business, the company is also advancing radiopharmaceutical research, including radioligand therapies being developed for cancer treatment.