Insider Selling: Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) Insider Sells $4,324,320.00 in Stock

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) insider Johanna Mercier sold 28,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.44, for a total value of $4,324,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 120,288 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,577,278.72. The trade was a 18.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Johanna Mercier also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Thursday, January 15th, Johanna Mercier sold 3,000 shares of Gilead Sciences stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.31, for a total transaction of $372,930.00.
• On Monday, December 15th, Johanna Mercier sold 3,000 shares of Gilead Sciences stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $122.00, for a total transaction of $366,000.00.

Gilead Sciences Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:GILD traded down $2.53 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $152.74. 5,187,090 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,854,146. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a quick ratio of 1.31 and a current ratio of 1.68. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $131.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $122.97. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a 12 month low of $93.37 and a 12 month high of $157.29. The firm has a market capitalization of $189.50 billion, a PE ratio of 22.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.36.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.83 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $7.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 28.90% and a return on equity of 49.46%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.90 earnings per share. Gilead Sciences has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.450-8.850 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post 7.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.82 per share. This is an increase from Gilead Sciences’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 13th. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio is currently 48.45%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

GILD has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Leerink Partners lifted their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $146.00 to $148.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Truist Financial raised their price target on Gilead Sciences from $145.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Wolfe Research lifted their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $155.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Gilead Sciences from $150.00 to $171.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer increased their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $128.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Twenty-three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Gilead Sciences has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $152.96.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in GILD. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 71.4% in the fourth quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 204 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 85 shares during the last quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC grew its stake in Gilead Sciences by 7,566.7% in the second quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 230 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 227 shares in the last quarter. Corundum Trust Company INC acquired a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Quattro Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Finally, Ares Financial Consulting LLC bought a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. 83.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Foster City, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines in areas of high unmet medical need. The company initially built its reputation in antiviral therapies and has since expanded into oncology, cell therapy and inflammatory diseases. Gilead operates a global research and commercial organization, conducting clinical development and selling medicines in markets around the world.

Gilead’s product portfolio is anchored by antiviral therapies for HIV and viral hepatitis.