Bristol Myers Squibb: A Stable Defensive Stock Amid Market Turbulence
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
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Should l Buy BMY?
Source: Fool
- Strong Stock Performance: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) has achieved a double-digit year-to-date gain amidst market volatility, with a current price of $59.71 and a market cap of $122 billion, highlighting its appeal as a defensive stock.
- Revenue Structure Transformation: By 2025, the company's growth portfolio is expected to account for 55% of total revenue, up from 47% the previous year, indicating a proactive strategy to address patent cliff challenges.
- Robust R&D Pipeline: Bristol Myers Squibb plans to report pivotal clinical study results for 28 programs by the end of 2028, with half being new therapies and the other half new indications for approved drugs, showcasing its ongoing innovation potential.
- Stable Dividend Yield: The company has paid dividends for 94 consecutive years and increased its dividend for 17 straight years, with a current yield exceeding 4.2%, providing reliable returns for income investors.
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Analyst Views on BMY
Wall Street analysts forecast BMY stock price to fall
20 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
11 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 59.710
Low
37.00
Averages
55.86
High
68.00
Current: 59.710
Low
37.00
Averages
55.86
High
68.00
About BMY
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is a global biopharmaceutical company. It is engaged in the discovery, development and delivery of transformational medicines for patients facing serious diseases in areas: oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and other areas. Its growth portfolio includes Opdivo (nivolumab), Opdivo Qvantig (nivolumab and hyaluronidase-nvhy), Yervoy (ipilimumab), Reblozyl (luspatercept-aamt), Opdualag (nivolumab and relatlimab-rmbw), Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel), Camzyos (mavacamten), Zeposia (ozanimod), Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), and Sotyktu (deucravacitinib). Its other growth products include Onureg, Inrebic, and Empliciti. Its legacy portfolio includes Eliquis (apixaban), Revlimid (lenalidomide), Pomalyst/Imnovid (pomalidomide), Sprycel (dasatinib), and Abraxane (paclitaxel albumin-bound particles for injectable suspension). Opdivo (nivolumab) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to the PD-1 on T and NKT cells.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Strong Stock Performance: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) has achieved a double-digit year-to-date gain amidst market volatility, with a current price of $59.71 and a market cap of $122 billion, highlighting its appeal as a defensive stock.
- Revenue Structure Transformation: By 2025, the company's growth portfolio is expected to account for 55% of total revenue, up from 47% the previous year, indicating a proactive strategy to address patent cliff challenges.
- Robust R&D Pipeline: Bristol Myers Squibb plans to report pivotal clinical study results for 28 programs by the end of 2028, with half being new therapies and the other half new indications for approved drugs, showcasing its ongoing innovation potential.
- Stable Dividend Yield: The company has paid dividends for 94 consecutive years and increased its dividend for 17 straight years, with a current yield exceeding 4.2%, providing reliable returns for income investors.
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- Strong Stock Performance: Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) has achieved a double-digit gain year-to-date, standing out in a declining market, which highlights its defensive appeal for investors seeking stable returns during turbulent times.
- Growth Portfolio Transition: Despite facing a patent cliff, the company's growth portfolio accounted for 55% of total revenue in 2025, up from 47% the previous year, indicating a successful transformation and enhanced future revenue potential.
- Robust R&D Pipeline: The company expects to report results from 28 pivotal clinical studies by the end of 2028, with half being new therapies and the other half new indications for approved drugs, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to innovative drug development.
- Stable Dividend Yield: Bristol Myers Squibb boasts a forward dividend yield exceeding 4.2% and has paid dividends for 94 consecutive years, increasing them for 17 straight years, which enhances its attractiveness as a defensive investment amid rising market uncertainties.
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- Significant Reduction: Readystate Asset Management sold 361,224 shares of Workiva in Q4 2025, with an estimated transaction value of $31.98 million, reflecting the fund's strategic response to market volatility.
- Decline in Position Value: The quarter-end value of Workiva holdings decreased by $31.09 million, indicating a dual impact from both stock price fluctuations and the share sale, suggesting a potential decline in market confidence towards the company.
- Change in Holdings Proportion: Post-sale, Readystate holds only 10,000 shares of Workiva valued at $862,500, which constitutes 0.03% of its AUM, thus removing Workiva from the fund's top five holdings, highlighting a significant shift in investment strategy.
- Uncertain Market Outlook: Although Workiva's price-to-sales ratio has fallen below 4, indicating potential valuation attractiveness, the impact of AI models on SaaS business models raises uncertainties about future investment returns, necessitating cautious evaluation by investors.
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- Share Reduction Details: Readystate Asset Management LP disclosed a reduction of 361,224 shares in Workiva during Q4 2025, with an estimated transaction value of $31.98 million, reflecting a significant decline in confidence as the holding's value dropped by $31.09 million, indicating negative market sentiment towards Workiva.
- Ownership Percentage Shift: As of December 31, 2025, Readystate's stake in Workiva decreased to 0.03%, highlighting a substantial reduction in its significance within the asset management portfolio, which may affect investor attention towards the company.
- Market Performance Analysis: As of February 17, 2026, Workiva shares were priced at $58.00, down 35.4% year-over-year and underperforming the S&P 500 by 46.8 percentage points, indicating a lack of competitive strength in the market that could influence future investment decisions.
- Investor Outlook: Readystate nearly liquidated its entire position in Workiva in Q4 2025, retaining only 10,000 shares, suggesting a significant loss of confidence in the SaaS stock, which may impact Workiva's future financing capabilities and market positioning.
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- Dividend Yield: The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) recently offers a dividend yield of 3.3%, providing a stable income source amidst current economic uncertainties, appealing to defensive investors.
- Historical Performance: Since its inception in 2011, the ETF has achieved an average annual return of 13.30%, with a 15.67% return over the past year, demonstrating strong performance in volatile markets and boosting investor confidence.
- Portfolio Strength: SCHD holds approximately 100 stocks, including blue-chip companies like Lockheed Martin, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo, ensuring investment diversity and stability, thereby providing long-term capital appreciation potential for investors.
- Long-Term Investment Returns: Investing $1,200 annually, with an assumed annual return of 10%, could yield around $68,730 after 20 years, highlighting the ETF's appeal as a long-term investment vehicle.
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- Annual Returns: The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has achieved an average annual gain of 13.37% over the past decade, demonstrating robust performance in a volatile market, appealing to investors seeking stable returns.
- Dividend Yield: With a recent dividend yield of 3.3%, this ETF not only provides a steady cash flow but also offers the potential for capital appreciation, making it suitable for defensive investing in uncertain economic conditions.
- Investment Returns: Investing $1,200 annually with an assumed annual return of 10% could yield approximately $68,730 in 20 years, highlighting the power of compounding and encouraging a focus on long-term holding strategies.
- Portfolio Composition: The ETF holds around 100 stocks, primarily blue-chip companies, with top holdings like Lockheed Martin and Coca-Cola, further enhancing the stability and income potential of its investment portfolio.
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