MFA Wealth Services Acquires Shares of Eli Lilly and Company

MFA Wealth Services has recently taken a new investment position in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) during the fourth quarter, as indicated by its latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 1,384 shares of the company's stock, which amounts to an investment valued at about $1,068,000.

Several other institutional investors have also made modifications to their positions in Eli Lilly's shares. For example, Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in the company by 2.2% in the second quarter, owning 512 shares worth $464,000 after adding 11 shares in the last quarter. Similarly, Summit Financial Strategies Inc. raised its stake by 0.5% in the third quarter, now owning 2,105 shares valued at $1,865,000 after acquiring an additional 11 shares. Furthermore, Prio Wealth Limited Partnership also grew its holdings by 0.5% in the same quarter, holding 2,411 shares worth $2,136,000 after purchasing 11 more shares.

Other notable changes include First Community Trust NA, which increased its stake by 4.9%, acquiring 257 shares valued at $228,000 after adding 12 shares. Hummer Financial Advisory Services Inc. also raised its holdings in Eli Lilly by 1.0%, now owning 1,271 shares valued at $1,126,000 after acquiring 12 more shares. Approximately 82.53% of Eli Lilly's stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Research Analyst Ratings

A variety of equity research analysts have provided updates on Eli Lilly's stock. Wolfe Research began coverage of the company on November 15th, assigning an "outperform" rating and setting a target price of $1,000.00 for the stock. Barclays revised their price target from $1,025.00 to $975.00, maintaining an "overweight" rating in a research note dated October 31st. Additionally, Bank of America affirmed a "buy" rating with a target price of $997.00 on December 10th. StockNews.com upgraded Eli Lilly from a "hold" to a "buy" rating as of Wednesday. Citigroup also raised its price target from $1,060.00 to $1,250.00, giving a "buy" rating on October 25th. Currently, four analysts hold a "hold" rating, while eighteen have given a "buy" rating, leading to an average rating of "Moderate Buy" with a price target around $1,002.22 according to MarketBeat.com.

Insider Trading Activity

In related news, Donald A. Zakrowski, the Chief Accounting Officer of Eli Lilly, sold 900 shares of the stock on November 8th. The shares were sold for an average price of $803.38, leading to a total transaction value of $723,042. Following this sale, he now directly owns 5,480 shares valued at approximately $4,402,522. This sale reflects a 14.11% decrease in his stock ownership and was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Currently, only 0.13% of the company’s stock is held by insiders.

Current Stock Trading Performance

Eli Lilly's stock opened at $784.78 on the latest trading day. The company's fifty-day moving average is $776.69, while the two-hundred day moving average is $849.41. Over the past year, the stock has ranged from a low of $624.68 to a high of $972.53. Eli Lilly holds a market capitalization of $745.01 billion, a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 84.84, and a price-to-earnings growth (PEG) ratio of 1.59. Key financial ratios include a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.97, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.03.

On October 30th, Eli Lilly released its earnings report showing earnings per share (EPS) of $1.18 for the quarter, which fell short of analysts' expectations of $1.52 by $0.34. The company generated revenues of $11.44 billion, lower than the consensus estimate of $12.09 billion. Additionally, Eli Lilly reported a net margin of 20.48% and a return on equity of 71.08%, with quarterly revenue increasing by 20.4% year-over-year.

Dividend Announcement and Share Buyback Program

The company has also announced a quarterly dividend of $1.50 per share, to be distributed on March 10th to investors on record as of February 14th. This increased dividend represents an annual yield of 0.76%, up from the previous quarterly dividend of $1.30. Eli Lilly's current dividend payout ratio stands at 56.22%.

Furthermore, on December 9th, Eli Lilly's Board of Directors sanctioned a share repurchase program allowing the firm to buy back up to $15.00 billion in shares. This program permits the company to repurchase approximately 2% of its outstanding shares in the open market, typically signaling management's confidence in the stock's valuation.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company is a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry, specializing in the discovery, development, and marketing of human medications. The company offers a variety of medications for several health conditions, including diabetes drugs such as Basaglar, Humalog, and Trulicity, as well as new treatments for obesity.

MFA, Eli, Lilly