Erste Asset Management GmbH Lowers Holdings in Gilead Sciences, Inc. $GILD

Erste Asset Management GmbH trimmed its stake in Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) by 6.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 446,842 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 30,299 shares during the quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Gilead Sciences were worth $50,283,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Corundum Trust Company INC purchased a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Putney Financial Group LLC grew its position in Gilead Sciences by 53.4% during the 2nd quarter. Putney Financial Group LLC now owns 270 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares during the last quarter. Howard Hughes Medical Institute bought a new stake in Gilead Sciences during the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,000. MTM Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 176.0% in the third quarter. MTM Investment Management LLC now owns 276 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 176 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in Gilead Sciences in the second quarter worth about $33,000. 83.67% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Gilead Sciences Trading Down 2.3%

Gilead Sciences stock opened at $143.77 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.31, a current ratio of 1.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.98. The company has a market cap of $178.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.93 and a beta of 0.36. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $135.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $124.58. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a 52-week low of $93.37 and a 52-week high of $157.29.

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

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 13th will be given a dividend of $0.82 per share. This represents a $3.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 13th. This is an increase from Gilead Sciences’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.79. Gilead Sciences’s payout ratio is presently 46.68%.

Key Headlines Impacting Gilead Sciences

Here are the key news stories impacting Gilead Sciences this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Daiwa Securities raised its price target on GILD to $161 and kept an “outperform” rating — a signal that some sell‑side desks see ~double‑digit upside from current levels. Daiwa Securities adjusts price target on Gilead Sciences to $161 from $129; maintains outperform
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple quarterly and multi‑year EPS estimates (FY2026–FY2028), reflecting better near‑term earnings visibility and supporting consensus upward revisions for 2026–2027 (Zacks now modeling higher EPS across several quarters).
• Positive Sentiment: UBS reiterated a Buy and kept a $175 price target, citing Gilead’s advancing long‑acting HIV franchise as a durable competitive advantage for future revenue growth. Gilead Sciences: Advancing Long-Acting HIV Franchise Underscores Competitive Edge and Supports Buy Rating
• Positive Sentiment: New Phase 3 ARTISTRY data presented at CROI show Gilead’s investigational single‑tablet bictegravir/lenacapavir maintained virological suppression with low discontinuation—strengthening Gilead’s HIV pipeline narrative and potential product breadth. Gilead’s Single-Tablet Regimen Maintained Virological Suppression (Business Wire)
• Neutral Sentiment: Gilead agreed to acquire Arcellx for $115/share (~$7.8B) to bolster its oncology/BCMA pipeline — strategic for growth but sizable; market reaction can be mixed while investors assess synergies, price and integration. Gilead Snaps Up Arcellx For $115 Per Share — A $7.8 Billion Bet On Cancer Therapy
• Negative Sentiment: Competitive pressure: Merck’s two‑drug HIV regimen matched Gilead’s Biktarvy in Phase 3 and is under FDA review — a meaningful competitor that raises pricing and market‑share concerns in the core HIV franchise. Merck’s New HIV Drug Shows Promise (Yahoo Finance)
• Negative Sentiment: Large M&A and ongoing competition increase near‑term uncertainty (integration costs, potential dilution, and execution risk), which can pressure the stock despite positive fundamental news.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

GILD has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Gilead Sciences from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $135.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $160.00 target price on shares of Gilead Sciences in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Citigroup upped their price target on Gilead Sciences from $140.00 to $156.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. Finally, Truist Financial increased their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $145.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Twenty-three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Gilead Sciences presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $156.72.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Gilead Sciences news, insider Johanna Mercier sold 28,000 shares of Gilead Sciences stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $154.44, for a total transaction of $4,324,320.00. Following 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 document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Jeffrey Bluestone sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $123.50, for a total transaction of $617,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 8,920 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,101,620. This trade represents a 35.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 299,280 shares of company stock valued at $42,487,570. Insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

About Gilead Sciences

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.