Particle.news
Download on the App Store

HSBC Cuts Eli Lilly to Reduce, Lowers Target to $850 on GLP-1 Reset

Attention shifts to an expected U.S. ruling on Lilly’s oral pill in the second quarter to gauge real-world demand.

Overview

  • HSBC trimmed its obesity-drug market forecast to $80–$120 billion by 2032, well below the $150 billion-plus consensus embedded in many models.
  • The bank warned that expectations for Lilly’s oral candidate orforglipron may be elevated, citing a $1.5 billion inventory build and risks that patient compliance and persistence disappoint.
  • Analyst Rajesh Kumar flagged intensifying price pressure, weakening rebate dynamics, rising working-capital needs, and a heavy cash-pay mix that is more sensitive to economic cycles.
  • Bloomberg data show this is Lilly’s only sell-equivalent rating, and it follows HSBC’s prior downgrade last April and subsequent upgrade back to Hold before this reassessment.
  • Lilly shares fell on the call, sliding about 1.6% initially and roughly 5% intraday, as investors focus on regulatory timing—submissions in 40+ countries with a potential U.S. decision in Q2 2026.