Eli Lilly announced on Thursday that its first-quarter revenue and earnings exceeded analyst expectations, largely driven by increased sales of its diabetes and weight loss medications. However, the company revised its profit outlook for the year downward due to significant costs associated with a recent acquisition of a cancer treatment.
For fiscal year 2025, Eli Lilly now anticipates adjusted earnings per share to range from $20.78 to $22.28, a decrease from its earlier forecast of $22.50 to $24 per share. This adjustment is largely attributed to a $1.57 billion charge related to the acquisition of an oral cancer drug from Scorpion Therapeutics.
The pharmaceutical company reiterated its sales guidance for 2025, predicting revenues between $58 billion and $61 billion. This forecast is based on the existing tariffs under President Donald Trump, effective since May 1, and it does not account for the proposed new tariffs on pharmaceutical imports to the U.S.
Eli Lilly’s diabetes treatment Mounjaro surpassed expectations during the quarter, generating $3.84 billion in revenue—an impressive 113% increase year-over-year.
Additionally, the weight loss drug Zepbound also performed well, recording $2.31 billion in sales for the quarter. This figure represents a dramatic rise from the $517.4 million reported a year earlier, when Zepbound had just launched in the U.S. market.
A comparison of Eli Lilly’s first-quarter performance shows the following results against analyst expectations compiled by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: $3.34 adjusted vs. $3.02 expected
- Revenue: $12.73 billion vs. $12.67 billion expected
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
