Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), featuring a net income margin of 34.99% and upside potential of 20.64%, secures a spot on our list of the best extremely profitable stocks to buy according to Wall Street analysts. The company reported net income of $20.64 billion for the recently completed fiscal year (FY25).
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That earnings strength was also evident in the April 30, 2026, update.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) reported first-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $8.55, well above the $6.66 Wall Street consensus tracked by LSEG. The company also raised its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $35.50-$37.00 from $33.50-$35.00 and lifted revenue guidance to $82-$85 billion from $80-$83 billion.
Mounjaro remained the standout.
The drug generated $8.7 billion in first-quarter sales, beating expectations by more than $1 billion, with growth driven primarily by higher volumes across markets. Internationally, management said Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) overtook Novo Nordisk as the GLP-1 market share leader. Zepbound added $4.2 billion in sales, also ahead of estimates.
In response to the earnings release, on May 5, 2026, Barclays raised its price target on Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) to $1,400 from $1,350, while maintaining an “Overweight” rating. Analyst Emily Field pointed to strength across Lilly’s tirzepatide franchises, including a 30% beat for international Mounjaro.
Barclays said international Mounjaro sales are essentially all cash-pay in obesity, pointing to consumer willingness to pay out of pocket. The firm raised its Mounjaro and Zepbound forecasts, partly offset by a lower Foundayo estimate for FY26 of about $1 billion, compared with the Bloomberg consensus of about $1.4 billion.
That strong operating backdrop coincided with a major capital markets move.
On May 7, Bloomberg reported that Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) sold $9 billion in investment-grade bonds, its largest-ever issuance, to help fund general corporate purposes and upfront cash consideration for the Centessa Pharmaceuticals and Kelonia Therapeutics acquisitions.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is a healthcare company that develops human pharmaceutical products across cardiometabolic health, oncology, and immunology.
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