Eli Lilly raises its 2026 sales forecast to $91-92 billion as Zepbound and Mounjaro keep growing
CNBC breaks down which drugs beat, the weaker obesity-pill launch, and the CEO's case for a bigger obesity market.
Eli Lilly reported third-quarter revenue of $24.4 billion on October 29, above the $22.61 billion analysts expected, and adjusted earnings of $7.48 a share against $6.26 expected, per LSEG. It raised its 2026 revenue forecast to $91 billion to $92 billion, from $85 billion to $87 billion. Its earnings-per-share outlook moved slightly lower to $35 to $36, because $4.57 a share in deal-related charges more than offset a $4.07 increase in underlying guidance.
Mounjaro revenue rose 65% to $10.72 billion, with sales outside the US up 93%, and Zepbound rose 49% to $5.35 billion. Sales of the new obesity pill Foundayo, launched in April, came in below expectations. CEO Dave Ricks pointed to Medicare's pilot coverage of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. The stock rose 6% to 8% during the day, and CNBC reports the healthcare sector hit a record high.
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Tirzepatide
After exploring Eli Lilly hikes sales outlook, as CEO says there's room for 'dramatic' obesity market expansion, for how the drug behind both brands works, read Tirzepatide.
Wikipedia explains tirzepatide, sold as Mounjaro and Zepbound, as a GIP analog and GLP-1 receptor agonist injected to treat type 2 diabetes and for weight loss.
Wikipedia · Swim · 30 min
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