Healthcare Stocks Are Showing Life Beyond Lilly and GLP-1s
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Oct 10 2024
0mins
Source: Barron's
Healthcare Sector Performance: Eli Lilly's stock has surged nearly 60% this year due to the popularity of GLP-1 drugs, while the broader healthcare sector is recovering from a decline in earnings following the end of the Covid-19 vaccine boom. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) is up about 12% in 2024, with expectations for a 20% increase in earnings by 2025.
Investment Opportunities: Analysts suggest looking beyond major players like Lilly and Novo Nordisk, highlighting potential in companies such as Amgen, AstraZeneca, and Sanofi, driven by aging populations and ongoing innovation. Additionally, the political landscape appears less threatening for the healthcare industry, which may benefit investors seeking stability.
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Analyst Views on AZN
Wall Street analysts forecast AZN stock price to rise
14 Analyst Rating
13 Buy
0 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 200.470
Low
157.61
Averages
213.64
High
252.18
Current: 200.470
Low
157.61
Averages
213.64
High
252.18
About AZN
AstraZeneca PLC is a United Kingdom-based science-led biopharmaceutical company. The Company focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The Company operates across therapy areas, including Oncology; Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM); Respiratory and Immunology (R&I); Vaccines and Immune Therapies (V&I), and Rare Disease. In the Oncology area, its key products include Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Calquence, Lynparza, and Enhertu. The key products of CVRM area include Farxiga/Forxiga, Brilinta/Brilique, Crestor, and Lokelma. In the R&I area, the key products are Symbicort, Fasenra, Breztri/Trixeo, and Tezspire. In the V&I Therapies area, the products are Beyfortus and FluMist. The products in the Rare Disease area are Ultomiris, Soliris, Strensiq, and Koselugo. It has about 191 projects in its development pipeline, including 19 new molecular entities (NMEs) in the late-stage pipeline. The Company distributes its products in over 125 countries.
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.
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- Drug Functionality: As a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, Farxiga is primarily used to reduce the risk of hospitalization related to heart failure in adults with type 2 diabetes and to improve glycemic control, highlighting its importance in chronic disease management.
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See More
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- Stake Growth: Following this purchase, Pictet's stake in MercadoLibre rose to 2.21%, reflecting its emphasis on the company within its portfolio, particularly as MercadoLibre's market capitalization reached $92.87 billion.
- Financial Performance: Despite achieving a 44% revenue growth in 2025, MercadoLibre's net income only increased by 5% due to heightened competition and rising non-performing loans, indicating some profitability pressures.
- Market Outlook: Although facing short-term challenges, MercadoLibre is expected to maintain long-term growth potential due to its market leadership in Latin America and robust revenue growth, suggesting that Pictet's decision to increase its holdings may be based on confidence in this outlook.
See More
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- Clinical Trial Results: AbbVie's March 9 announcement of ABBV-295's clinical trial results indicates that patients receiving weekly treatment lost an average of 7.75% to 9.79% of their weight over 12 weeks, while those on biweekly or monthly regimens lost between 7.86% and 9.73% over 13 weeks, suggesting strong potential for the drug in the weight loss market.
- Competitive Market Pressure: Despite the promising initial data for ABBV-295, AbbVie faces intense competition in the weight loss market from companies like Eli Lilly, which have several late-stage obesity drugs, indicating that the market will become increasingly crowded before AbbVie can launch its product.
- Core Business Stability: AbbVie's primary therapeutic area remains immunology, with projected sales for Skyrizi and Rinvoq exceeding $31 billion in 2023, significantly surpassing Humira's peak sales, demonstrating the company's robust performance and growth potential in this sector.
- Optimistic Pipeline Outlook: Even if ABBV-295 fails in clinical trials, AbbVie has a deep pipeline of investigational products, including the ongoing ABBV-383 cancer treatment, which is expected to provide significant support for the company's future financial performance and further solidify its leadership in the pharmaceutical industry.
See More
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- Market Surge: According to Markets and Markets, the GLP-1 agonist market grew from $53.74 billion in 2024 to $64.42 billion in 2025, with projections reaching $170.75 billion by 2033, indicating a robust demand for obesity and diabetes treatments.
- New Drug Approval: In 2025, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy received FDA approval as the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss medication, marking a significant breakthrough in treatment options, particularly for those with trypanophobia, which is expected to further drive market demand.
- Top-Selling Drugs: In 2025, Mounjaro led the GLP-1 drug market with $22.97 billion in sales, followed by Ozempic and Zepbound with $20 billion and $13.54 billion, respectively, showcasing the strong appeal of GLP-1 therapies globally.
- Patent Protection and Competition: While Ozempic and Wegovy are protected by patents in the U.S. until around 2032, generics have already launched in India and are expected in China, intensifying market competition and potentially impacting the market share of original branded drugs.
See More
Parnassus Value Equity Fund's Q1 2026 Strategic Investment Moves
- New Investment Highlights: In Q1 2026, Parnassus Value Equity Fund added 634,492 shares of AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN), representing 2.73% of the portfolio with a total value of $125.13 million, indicating confidence in the biopharmaceutical sector.
- Key Stock Increases: The fund increased its stake in JPMorgan Chase & Co by 72,858 shares, a 14.59% rise, bringing total holdings to 572,217 shares, reflecting optimism in the financial services industry with a current total value of $168.32 million.
- Strategic Reductions: The fund completely exited its position in AstraZeneca by selling 1,227,628 shares, resulting in a -2.37% impact on the portfolio, showcasing its agility in responding to market dynamics.
- Industry Concentration Analysis: As of Q1 2026, the fund's portfolio included 45 stocks, primarily concentrated in 10 industries such as Financial Services, Technology, and Healthcare, indicating a strategic approach to diversified investments.
See More
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- AstraZeneca Sales Outlook: AstraZeneca's shares have risen 16.8% over the past six months, outperforming the 8.6% growth in the biomedical and genetics sector, with expectations to reach $80 billion in total revenues by 2030, despite facing generic competition and pressures on U.S. oncology sales.
- HSBC Strategic Adjustments: HSBC's shares increased by 23% in the last six months, surpassing the 10.5% growth in the foreign banks sector, as its strategic pivot in Asia and asset optimization are expected to support long-term growth, although revenue growth may be impacted in the short term.
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See More
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- Generic Drug Approval: The FDA announced on Tuesday the approval of the first set of generic products targeting Farxiga, a diabetes therapy developed by AstraZeneca (AZN), indicating increased market competition.
- Market Impact: Farxiga generated $1.7 billion in U.S. sales last year, reflecting a 1% year-over-year decline, yet its market potential remains significant, with the introduction of generics likely to further compress prices.
- Drug Functionality: As a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, Farxiga is primarily used to reduce the risk of hospitalization related to heart failure in adults with type 2 diabetes and to improve glycemic control, highlighting its importance in chronic disease management.
- Manufacturers List: Approved generic manufacturers include Indian companies Aurobindo Pharma, Lupin, and Alembic Pharmaceuticals, which will provide more competitive options in the market, potentially impacting AstraZeneca's market share.
See More
