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Eli Lilly & Co.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 43% on volume: Fourth-quarter revenue was $19.3 billion, up 43%. Volume rose 46%, partly offset by a 5% decrease from lower realized prices. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose 51% reported: Reported diluted EPS was $7.39, up from $4.88. Non-GAAP EPS was $7.54, up from $5.32. Source
  • U.S. revenue rose 43%: U.S. revenue was $12.9 billion, up 43%. U.S. volume rose 50%, while lower realized prices reduced revenue by 7%, driven by Zepbound and Mounjaro. Source
  • Mounjaro revenue rose 110%: U.S. Mounjaro revenue was $4.1 billion, up 57%. Revenue outside the U.S. rose to $3.3 billion from $899 million, primarily on volume. Source
  • U.S. Zepbound revenue rose 122%: U.S. Zepbound revenue was $4.2 billion, up from $1.9 billion, primarily driven by increased demand, partially offset by lower realized prices. Source
  • Orforglipron filed for obesity: Orforglipron for obesity was submitted to regulators in the U.S. and Japan. Obesity and type 2 diabetes were submitted in the EU. Source
  • Retatrutide met Phase 3 knee OA: Retatrutide's first successful Phase 3 trial reported weight loss of up to an average of 71.2 lbs and relief from osteoarthritis pain in people with obesity and knee osteoarthritis. Source

“We reached millions more patients - launching Inluriyo, expanding Mounjaro and Kisunla globally, and submitting orforglipron for approval.”

David A. Ricks, Lilly's chair and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefull-year 2026$80 to $83 billionNew
Performance margin Sourcefull-year 202646.0% to 47.5%New
Tax rate Sourcefull-year 202618% to 19%New
Non-GAAP EPS Sourcefull-year 2026$33.50 to $35.00New
Shares outstanding Sourcefull-year 2026approximately 894 millionNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 guidance was issued for revenue, performance margin, tax rate and non-GAAP EPS. The prior release contained 2025 guidance only. Source
  • New: Lilly agreed with the U.S. government to expand access to obesity medicines for millions of Americans. Source
  • New: The Adverum tender offer expired and the acquisition was completed, following the earlier announcement to acquire Adverum. Source
  • New: Lilly plans to build a $6 billion facility in Alabama to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients. Source
  • New: Lilly selected Pennsylvania as the home for its newest injectable medicine and device manufacturing facility. Source
  • New: Lilly plans a new $3 billion facility in Europe to boost oral medicine manufacturing capacity for patients worldwide. Source
  • New: Lilly named two new Executive Committee members and expanded leadership roles. Source
  • New: Carolyn Bertozzi returned to Lilly's board of directors. Source
  • New: Inluriyo became one of the Key Products, effective Q4 2025. The prior release did not list it. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 43% on volume: Fourth-quarter revenue was $19.3 billion, up 43%. Volume rose 46%, partly offset by a 5% decrease from lower realized prices. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose 51% reported: Reported diluted EPS was $7.39, up from $4.88. Non-GAAP EPS was $7.54, up from $5.32. Source
  • Full-year revenue rose 45%: Full-year 2025 revenue was $65.2 billion, up 45% from $45.0 billion in 2024. Source
  • Operating income rose 63% in Q4: Operating income was $8.4 billion in Q4 2025, up 63%, and $26.3 billion for the full year, up 104%. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. revenue rose 43%: U.S. revenue was $12.9 billion, up 43%. U.S. volume rose 50%, while lower realized prices reduced revenue by 7%, driven by Zepbound and Mounjaro. Source
  • Outside-U.S. revenue rose 43%: Revenue outside the U.S. was $6.4 billion, up 43%, with volume up 38% and a 4% favorable currency effect. Volume growth came mainly from Mounjaro, partly offset by Jardiance. Source
  • Jardiance comparison base effect: Management said outside-U.S. volume growth was negatively affected by a $300 million one-time Jardiance benefit recorded in Q4 2024. Source

“We expanded our manufacturing capacity, and through our U.S. government agreement, opened new access to obesity medicines.”

David A. Ricks, Lilly's chair and CEO

Products and customers

  • Mounjaro revenue rose 110%: U.S. Mounjaro revenue was $4.1 billion, up 57%. Revenue outside the U.S. rose to $3.3 billion from $899 million, primarily on volume. Source
  • U.S. Zepbound revenue rose 122%: U.S. Zepbound revenue was $4.2 billion, up from $1.9 billion, primarily driven by increased demand, partially offset by lower realized prices. Source
  • Verzenio U.S. sales fell 4%: Worldwide Verzenio revenue was $1.6 billion, up 3%. U.S. Verzenio revenue was $997 million, down 4%, while revenue outside the U.S. was $608 million, up 18%. Source
  • Key Products reached $13.8 billion: Revenue from Key Products was $13.8 billion, led by Mounjaro and Zepbound. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rose 0.3 points: Reported gross margin was 82.5% of revenue. Product mix and improved cost of production were offset by lower realized prices. Non-GAAP gross margin was 83.2%, consistent with Q4 2024. Source
  • R&D spend rose 26%: Research and development expense was $3.8 billion, up 26%, or 20% of revenue, reflecting continued investment in early and late-stage programs. Source
  • Promotion lifted marketing costs: Marketing, selling and administrative expense rose 29% to $3.1 billion, mainly from promotional efforts for ongoing and planned launches. Source
  • Reported tax rate rose to 19.7%: The reported effective tax rate was 19.7%, against 12.5% a year earlier, primarily from a less favorable jurisdictional mix of earnings. Source
  • Acquired IPR&D cut EPS by $0.52: Acquired IPR&D charges were $529 million in Q4 2025, up from $189 million a year earlier, and reduced EPS by $0.52 against $0.19 in Q4 2024. Source

“Entering our 150th year with a deep pipeline and platforms like LillyDirect, we're positioned to reach more patients than ever and expand our global health impact.”

David A. Ricks, Lilly's chair and CEO

Pipeline, regulatory and research

  • Kwikpen and Jaypirca regulatory wins: The company reported FDA approval of Kwikpen for tirzepatide and an expanded indication for Jaypirca in the quarter. Source
  • Orforglipron filed for obesity: Orforglipron for obesity was submitted to regulators in the U.S. and Japan. Obesity and type 2 diabetes were submitted in the EU. Source
  • Retatrutide met Phase 3 knee OA: Retatrutide's first successful Phase 3 trial reported weight loss of up to an average of 71.2 lbs and relief from osteoarthritis pain in people with obesity and knee osteoarthritis. Source
  • Taltz with Zepbound Phase 3b: Taltz and Zepbound used together gave superior efficacy in a first-of-its-kind Phase 3b trial in adults with active psoriatic arthritis and obesity or overweight. Source
  • Jaypirca head-to-head trial result: Jaypirca met its primary endpoint in a first-of-its-kind head-to-head Phase 3 study against Imbruvica. Source
  • NVIDIA AI co-innovation lab: Lilly and NVIDIA announced a co-innovation AI lab aimed at reinventing drug discovery. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Dividends per share rose 15%: Dividends paid were $1.50 a share in Q4 2025, up from $1.30. Full-year dividends were $6.00 a share, up from $5.20. Source
  • Diluted share count edged lower: Weighted-average diluted shares were 898.0 million in Q4 2025, against 903.2 million a year earlier, and 899.3 million for the full year, against 904.1 million. Source
  • Reported net income rose: Reported net income was $6.6 billion in Q4 2025, up 50%, and $20.6 billion for the full year, up from $10.6 billion. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 February 2026

  • Gateway Labs site in Philadelphia: Lilly plans to open a Lilly Gateway Labs site in Philadelphia. No date was given. Source
  • Ventyx acquisition announced: Lilly said it will acquire Ventyx Biosciences to advance oral therapies for inflammatory-mediated diseases. No closing date was given. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Mounjaro revenue, Q4 2025 and full year 2025 Source$7,409 million in Q4; $22,965 million for full year
Zepbound revenue, Q4 2025 and full year 2025 Source$4,261 million in Q4; $13,542 million for full year
Verzenio revenue, Q4 2025 and full year 2025 Source$1,604 million in Q4; $5,723 million for full year
Research and development expense Source$3.8 billion in Q4 2025; $13.3 billion for full year 2025
Kwikpen approval SourceFDA approval for tirzepatide
Orforglipron regulatory submissions SourceSubmitted in U.S., Japan and EU
Retatrutide Phase 3 knee osteoarthritis trial SourceWeight loss of up to an average of 71.2 lbs
Jaypirca head-to-head Phase 3 trial SourcePrimary endpoint met versus Imbruvica
Eloralintide Phase 2 study SourceMeaningful weight loss and favorable tolerability

Risks management discussed

  • External: Lower realized prices offset part of volume growth, reducing worldwide revenue by 5% in Q4 2025. Source
  • Regulatory: U.S. tax law changes enacted earlier in 2025 unfavorably affected the Q4 2025 effective tax rate. Source
  • Operational: Special charges of $84 million in Q4 2025 mainly reflected an intangible asset impairment acquired through POINT BioPharma. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The Q3 release planned these submissions. The Q4 release reports submissions to regulators in the U.S. and Japan for obesity, and in the EU for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.