Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) Reaches New 1-Year High - Still a Buy?

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report)'s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $106.80 and last traded at $106.27, with a volume of 328148 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $105.25.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Gilead Sciences in a research report on Friday, November 15th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $110.00 price objective on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Gilead Sciences in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on Gilead Sciences from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. DZ Bank raised Gilead Sciences from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $108.00 target price on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $80.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Thursday, November 7th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and four have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $102.08.

Gilead Sciences Stock Down 0.1 %

The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $95.41 and a 200-day moving average price of $88.73. The stock has a market capitalization of $137.03 billion, a P/E ratio of 297.16, a PEG ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 0.18.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 11th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.90 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.23. Gilead Sciences had a return on equity of 31.63% and a net margin of 1.67%. As a group, research analysts forecast that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a dividend of $0.79 per share. This is a boost from Gilead Sciences's previous quarterly dividend of $0.77. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.87%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Gilead Sciences's payout ratio is presently 832.43%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Gilead Sciences news, CFO Andrew D. Dickinson sold 2,500 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.35, for a total transaction of $228,375.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 129,873 shares of the company's stock, valued at $11,863,898.55. The trade was a 1.89 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Jeffrey Bluestone sold 6,788 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.39, for a total value of $620,355.32. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 8,920 shares in the company, valued at $815,198.80. The trade was a 43.21 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 713,000 shares of company stock valued at $67,945,181 over the last ninety days. 0.16% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Redwood Financial Network Corp boosted its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. Redwood Financial Network Corp now owns 2,530 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $234,000 after buying an additional 98 shares during the period. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 2.9% during the fourth quarter. Nicolet Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,580 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $322,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. Avior Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 1.2% during the third quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 9,422 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $782,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the period. Southland Equity Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Gilead Sciences by 3.6% during the fourth quarter. Southland Equity Partners LLC now owns 3,128 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $289,000 after buying an additional 110 shares during the period. Finally, Concord Asset Management LLC VA boosted its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 3.8% in the third quarter. Concord Asset Management LLC VA now owns 3,056 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $256,000 after purchasing an additional 111 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.67% of the company's stock.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines in the areas of unmet medical need in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company provides Biktarvy, Genvoya, Descovy, Odefsey, Truvada, Complera/ Eviplera, Stribild, Sunlencs, and Atripla products for the treatment of HIV/AIDS; Veklury, an injection for intravenous use, for the treatment of COVID-19; and Epclusa, Harvoni, Vemlidy, and Viread for the treatment of viral hepatitis.