Eli Lilly's New Developments in GLP-1 Drugs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 4 hours ago
0mins
Source: Fool
- Intensifying Market Competition: Eli Lilly's introduction of an oral GLP-1 drug may attract consumers, but it trails behind Novo Nordisk's more effective pill launched in 2026, potentially delaying market acceptance and impacting future revenues.
- High Revenue Dependency: Nearly 65% of Eli Lilly's revenue comes from its injectable GLP-1 drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound, indicating that any loss in market share could significantly affect the company's financial health and growth prospects.
- Promising Drug Development: Eli Lilly's next-generation GLP-1 drug, Retatrutide, is in development, with early trials showing some patients losing over 30% of their weight, comparable to bariatric surgery, which could provide a new growth avenue if successfully launched.
- Valuation Appeal: Although Eli Lilly's price-to-earnings ratio stands at 37, above the pharma average of 24, if Retatrutide meets expectations and drives growth, the current valuation may appear more attractive to investors, warranting close attention.
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Analyst Views on LLY
Wall Street analysts forecast LLY stock price to rise
20 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 1126.800
Low
950.00
Averages
1192
High
1500
Current: 1126.800
Low
950.00
Averages
1192
High
1500
About LLY
Eli Lilly and Company is a medicine company, which discovers, develops, manufactures, and market products in a single business segment called human pharmaceutical products. The Company manufacture and distribute its products through facilities in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and in Europe and Asia. The Company’s products are sold in approximately 90 countries. Its Cardiometabolic Health products Basaglar; Humalog, Humalog Mix 75/25, Humalog U-100, Humalog U-200, Humalog Mix 50/50, insulin lispro, and others; Humulin, Humulin 70/30, and others; Jardiance; Mounjaro; Trulicity; Zepbound, and others. Its oncology products include Cyramza, Erbitux, Tyvyt, Verzenio, Retevmo, Jaypirca, and others. Its immunology products include Ebglyss, Olumiant, Omvoh, and Taltz. Its neuroscience products include Emgality and Kisunla. Its LillyDirect, a direct-to-patient digital health care platform, provides delivery of select Lilly medicines dispensed by third-party pharmacies to patients.
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.
- Expanded Coverage: Eli Lilly announced that its obesity medication portfolio will be covered by the three largest pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S., significantly increasing access to FDA-approved treatment options for millions of Americans, thereby enhancing patient choice and accessibility.
- Reduced Medication Costs: Starting June 1, eligible patients will pay as little as $25 per month for Foundayo and Zepbound, which is expected to significantly lower the financial burden on patients and promote broader adoption of these medications.
- Clinical Trial Validation: The ATTAIN-1 and ATTAIN-2 clinical trials enrolled over 4,500 individuals with obesity or overweight, demonstrating that Foundayo led to an average weight loss of 27.3 pounds (12.4%) over 72 weeks, providing robust evidence of its efficacy and further solidifying Lilly's market position in obesity treatment.
- Competitive Market Advantage: Zepbound, the most prescribed injectable obesity medication in the U.S., achieved an average weight loss of 15% (34 lbs) over 72 weeks, enhancing patients' quality of life and securing a larger market share for Lilly in the competitive obesity drug landscape.
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- Intensifying Market Competition: Eli Lilly's introduction of an oral GLP-1 drug may attract consumers, but it trails behind Novo Nordisk's more effective pill launched in 2026, potentially delaying market acceptance and impacting future revenues.
- High Revenue Dependency: Nearly 65% of Eli Lilly's revenue comes from its injectable GLP-1 drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound, indicating that any loss in market share could significantly affect the company's financial health and growth prospects.
- Promising Drug Development: Eli Lilly's next-generation GLP-1 drug, Retatrutide, is in development, with early trials showing some patients losing over 30% of their weight, comparable to bariatric surgery, which could provide a new growth avenue if successfully launched.
- Valuation Appeal: Although Eli Lilly's price-to-earnings ratio stands at 37, above the pharma average of 24, if Retatrutide meets expectations and drives growth, the current valuation may appear more attractive to investors, warranting close attention.
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- Intense Market Competition: Eli Lilly leads the GLP-1 drug market, yet its newly launched oral medication may face acceptance challenges compared to Novo Nordisk's more effective pill, highlighting the fierce competition in the industry.
- High Revenue Dependency: Nearly 65% of Eli Lilly's revenue comes from two injectable GLP-1 drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound, indicating the critical importance of GLP-1 drugs to the company's business, with future market performance directly impacting its financial health.
- Promising Drug Development: Eli Lilly's next-generation GLP-1 drug, Retatrutide, shows promising early trial results, with some patients losing over 30% of their weight, potentially providing new growth momentum for the company, although it is still in the testing phase.
- Valuation Analysis: With a price-to-earnings ratio of 37x, significantly above the pharma average of 24x, Eli Lilly's current valuation may seem high, but if the new GLP-1 drug meets expectations, it could lead to attractive growth opportunities for the company.
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- Market Share Leadership: Eli Lilly has captured a 60% share of the GLP-1 drug market in the U.S., surpassing rival Novo Nordisk, indicating strong performance in the obesity drug sector and expected revenue growth.
- Strong Stock Performance: Over the past three years, Lilly's stock has surged more than 160%, and despite a sluggish start to the year, it recently surpassed $1,000, reflecting investor confidence in its future growth prospects.
- Split Potential Analysis: The stock's rise above $1,000 may prompt the company to consider a stock split; although it has split its stock four times in the past, changes in management could influence future decisions.
- New Drug Driving Growth: The recent launch of Lilly's oral obesity drug Foundayo could serve as a new growth driver, and combined with existing products Mounjaro and Zepbound, sustained market demand may further elevate the stock price and trigger split discussions.
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