Eli Lilly Beats Q4 Earnings on Drug Sales Surge

Eli Lilly and Company reported fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, fueled by robust demand for its blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs, while issuing an optimistic forecast for 2026 that highlighted growth in the obesity treatment market. The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant posted adjusted earnings of $7.54 per share on revenue of $19.3 billion, surpassing analyst projections of $6.67 per share and $18 billion in sales, according to data from LSEG. Shares of the company climbed more than 7 percent in premarket trading following the announcement.

The results were driven primarily by sales of Mounjaro, a diabetes treatment that also serves as a weight-loss option outside the United States, which generated $7.41 billion in the quarter, a 110 percent increase from the previous year. U.S. sales of Mounjaro reached $4.1 billion, up 57 percent, though realized prices declined amid broader market pressures. Zepbound, Lilly's dedicated obesity drug launched about three years ago, contributed $4.2 billion in U.S. revenue, marking a 122 percent rise year-over-year and beating estimates of $3.91 billion. Overall U.S. revenue grew to...