①Eli Li Third-quarter revenue was $17.6 billion, up 54% year-over-year, with adjusted earnings per share of $7.02, far exceeding expectations; ② Eli Lilly raised its full-year guidance, projecting revenue of $63 billion to $63.5 billion for 2025.
U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly reported earnings on Thursday that both its third-quarter revenue and profit significantly exceeded market expectations, driven by its star weight-loss drug. With continued strong demand for Zepbound and diabetes drug Mounjaro, the company has raised its full-year earnings guidance.
Boosted by the news, Eli Lilly's stock price surged as much as 7% in pre-market trading, but has since narrowed to 5%.
The financial report shows that Eli Lilly's revenue in the third quarter was $17.6 billion, a year-on-year increase of 54%; the adjusted earnings per share in the third quarter were $7.02, far exceeding analysts' estimates of $5.69.
Eli Lilly raised its full-year 2025 revenue forecast to $63 billion to $63.5 billion, up from its previous forecast of $60 billion to $62 billion. The company expects adjusted earnings per share for the full year to be $23.00 to $23.70, higher than its previous forecast range of $21.75 to $23.00.
Investors are paying close attention to Eli Lilly's latest earnings report because of high market expectations for its GLP-1 drug portfolio, as well as concerns about potential pressure from drug price negotiations initiated by the U.S. government.
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk They are vying for the top spot in the global weight-loss drug market, which is widely expected to reach $150 billion by 2030.
Since taking office in January of this year, US President Trump has been pushing for the "most-favored-nation pricing" clause, requiring pharmaceutical companies to keep their prices in the US from being higher than those in other developed countries, putting the industry on edge.
Eli Lilly claims that the guidance reflects the impact of the U.S. government’s current tariff policies, but does not take into account the potential threat of new tariffs on imported drugs.
Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks stated that the company's strong performance was primarily driven by continued high demand for glucagon-lowering drugs. These drugs work by mimicking the effects of the body's natural hormones to improve blood sugar control.
Data shows that Eli Lilly's Zepbound sales reached $3.6 billion in the third quarter, a year-on-year increase of 184%, far exceeding analysts' expectations of $3.23 billion. The diabetes drug Mounjaro generated $6.52 billion in sales, a staggering year-on-year increase of 109%.
Zepbound was approved for market launch at the end of 2023 and quickly gained market favor. Although Eli Lilly's competitor Novo Nordisk 's weight loss drug Wegovy was launched two years earlier, Zepbound's prescription volume is now significantly higher.
Demand for these two drugs continues to surge as millions worldwide seek more effective weight loss treatments. Novo Nordisk will report its earnings on November 5, and its U.S.-listed shares fell 1.4% in early trading on Thursday.
Eli Lilly is pinning its hopes on its highly anticipated experimental oral weight-loss drug, Orforglipron, to further solidify its leading position in the weight-loss field. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk and other pharmaceutical companies are accelerating the development of their own oral or next-generation injectable versions of GLP-1 drugs.
Earlier on Thursday, Novo Nordisk made a takeover bid for U.S. biopharmaceutical company Metsera, offering a higher price, revealing its anxiety to catch up with Eli Lilly.
(Article source: CLS)
