Gilead Sciences’ (GILD) Buy Rating Reaffirmed at Needham & Company LLC

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reaffirmed by Needham & Company LLC in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. They presently have a $170.00 price target on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock. Needham & Company LLC’s price objective points to a potential upside of 25.69% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on GILD. Daiwa Securities Group cut their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $161.00 to $150.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 19th. Truist Financial decreased their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $157.00 to $156.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, July 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research report on Wednesday, July 29th. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $166.00 to $165.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Leerink Partners downgraded shares of Gilead Sciences from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and reduced their target price for the company from $146.00 to $127.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. Twenty-five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Gilead Sciences has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $157.93.

Gilead Sciences Stock Performance

Shares of Gilead Sciences stock opened at $135.25 on Wednesday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $129.58 and its 200 day simple moving average is $136.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $167.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.43 and a beta of 0.32. Gilead Sciences has a 12 month low of $108.46 and a 12 month high of $157.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.97, a quick ratio of 1.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, August 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($6.75) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($7.26) by $0.51. The business had revenue of $7.80 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.40 billion. Gilead Sciences had a return on equity of 48.19% and a net margin of 30.99%.The business’s revenue was up 10.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $2.01 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Gilead Sciences will post -0.78 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Gilead Sciences

In related news, insider Johanna Mercier sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.92, for a total value of $371,760.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 124,234 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $15,395,077.28. This trade represents a 2.36% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Daniel Patrick O’day sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.31, for a total transaction of $1,954,650.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 592,133 shares in the company, valued at $77,160,851.23. The trade was a 2.47% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders have sold 82,000 shares of company stock worth $10,641,790. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Gilead Sciences

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in GILD. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL purchased a new position in Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC grew its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 71.4% during the 4th quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 204 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 85 shares in the last quarter. Quattro Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Gilead Sciences by 60.0% during the fourth quarter. Wealth Preservation Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 81 shares during the period. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. 83.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Gilead Sciences

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

• Positive Sentiment: Gilead reported second-quarter revenue of $7.8 billion, up 10.6% year over year and above the $7.4 billion consensus estimate. The company’s $6.75-per-share loss was narrower than analyst expectations of roughly $7.07–$7.26. Gilead Sciences Reports Q2 Loss, Beats Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Excluding Veklury, product sales increased 10% to $7.6 billion. Double-digit HIV growth, including continued momentum for PrEP and the emerging Yeztugo franchise, strengthens the company’s core growth outlook. Management raised its 2026 HIV growth expectation to 9%–10%. Gilead Raises HIV Growth Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Gilead won a California Supreme Court ruling stating that drugmakers do not have a duty to develop potentially safer alternatives to medicines already considered safe. The decision reduces a significant product-liability risk. California Court Rules for Gilead
• Positive Sentiment: The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.82 per share, equivalent to $3.28 annually and a yield of approximately 2.4%. The dividend is payable September 29 to shareholders of record September 15.
• Neutral Sentiment: Gilead’s updated 2026 EPS outlook of a $0.65–$0.30 loss is better than the prior consensus estimate for a $0.79 loss. However, projected revenue of $30.1 billion–$30.4 billion is slightly below the $30.5 billion analyst forecast, tempering the guidance benefit.
• Negative Sentiment: Veklury sales fell 81% in the quarter, prompting Gilead to lower its full-year outlook for the COVID-19 treatment and underscoring pressure from the product’s decline. Gilead Swings to Loss on R&D Costs
• Negative Sentiment: The quarterly loss compares with $2.01 in EPS a year earlier as acquisition-related charges and elevated R&D spending weighed on profitability.
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Daniel O’Day sold 15,000 shares worth approximately $1.95 million under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 plan. Because he retained more than 592,000 shares, the transaction is a limited negative signal rather than a major change in insider conviction. CEO Share Sale

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines in areas of high unmet medical need. The company initially built its reputation in antiviral therapies and has since expanded into oncology, cell therapy and inflammatory diseases. Gilead operates a global research and commercial organization, conducting clinical development and selling medicines in markets around the world.

Gilead’s product portfolio is anchored by antiviral therapies for HIV and viral hepatitis.