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Eli Lilly & Co.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 April 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 56% on volume: Q1 2026 revenue was $19.8 billion, up 56% from Q1 2025. Volume rose 65% and realized prices fell 13%. Source
  • Outside-U.S. revenue rose 81%: Revenue outside the U.S. reached $7.7 billion. Volume rose 95% and realized prices fell 25%, mainly from Mounjaro's addition to China's reimbursement list. Source
  • Mounjaro revenue rose 125%: Worldwide Mounjaro revenue reached $8.7 billion. U.S. Mounjaro was $4.2 billion, up 59%, and revenue outside the U.S. was $4.4 billion. Source
  • Gross margin fell on lower prices: Gross margin was 81.9% of revenue, down 0.6 points, mainly from lower realized prices. Non-GAAP gross margin was 82.6%, down 0.9 points. Source
  • Foundayo positive Phase 3 in diabetes: Phase 3 results for Foundayo were positive in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight at increased cardiovascular risk. Source
  • Four acquisitions agreed: Lilly agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Kelonia Therapeutics and Ajax Therapeutics, as described in recent updates. Source

“we delivered 56% revenue growth in the first quarter and raised our full-year revenue guidance by $2 billion,”

David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefull year 2026$82 billion to $85 billionRaised from $80 billion to $83 billion
Performance margin (non-GAAP) Sourcefull year 202647.0% to 48.5%Raised from 46.0% to 47.5%
Tax rate (non-GAAP) Sourcefull year 202618% to 19%Kept
Earnings per share (non-GAAP) Sourcefull year 2026$35.50 to $37.00Raised from $33.50 to $35.00
Share count and foreign exchange assumptions Sourcefull year 2026approximately 895 million shares; 1.16 (Euro), 153 (Yen), 7.1 (Yuan)

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Revenue guidance rose from $80 billion to $83 billion to $82 billion to $85 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Performance margin guidance rose from 46.0% to 47.5% to 47.0% to 48.5%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Non-GAAP EPS guidance rose from $33.50 to $35.00 to $35.50 to $37.00. Source
  • Guidance kept: The 2026 tax rate guidance was left at 18% to 19%. Source
  • New: The company reported U.S. FDA approval of Foundayo (orforglipron) for obesity. The prior release had reported the submission for approval. Source
  • Ended: Verzenio is no longer counted in Key Products from Q1 2026. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 56% on volume: Q1 2026 revenue was $19.8 billion, up 56% from Q1 2025. Volume rose 65% and realized prices fell 13%. Source
  • Reported EPS rose to $8.26: Reported net income was $7.4 billion and diluted EPS $8.26, against $2.8 billion and $3.06. Non-GAAP EPS was $8.55, against $3.34. Source
  • Acquired IPR&D charge was smaller: EPS included $0.52 of acquired IPR&D charges in Q1 2026, against $1.72 in Q1 2025. Source

Segments and regions

  • U.S. revenue rose 43%: U.S. revenue rose to $12.1 billion on 49% higher volume, partly offset by 7% lower realized prices. Zepbound and Mounjaro drove the volume increase. Source
  • Outside-U.S. revenue rose 81%: Revenue outside the U.S. reached $7.7 billion. Volume rose 95% and realized prices fell 25%, mainly from Mounjaro's addition to China's reimbursement list. Source
  • Jardiance one-time benefits declined: Jardiance revenue outside the U.S. included one-time benefits of $250 million, against $370 million a year earlier, under the Boehringer Ingelheim collaboration. Source

“A key milestone was the U.S. FDA approval of Foundayo - the only approved GLP-1 pill that can be taken any time of day, without food and water restrictions.”

David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO

Products and customers

  • Mounjaro revenue rose 125%: Worldwide Mounjaro revenue reached $8.7 billion. U.S. Mounjaro was $4.2 billion, up 59%, and revenue outside the U.S. was $4.4 billion. Source
  • U.S. Zepbound revenue rose 79%: U.S. Zepbound revenue was $4.1 billion. Lower realized prices, including earlier cash-pay price cuts, partly offset demand. Source
  • Immunology, oncology and neuroscience grew: Key Products in these therapeutic areas grew 160% in Q1 2026 compared with Q1 2025. Source
  • Smaller launched brands grew: Jaypirca rose 79%, Ebglyss 141% and Omvoh 115%. Kisunla and Inluriyo are shown as not meaningful against prior periods. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin fell on lower prices: Gross margin was 81.9% of revenue, down 0.6 points, mainly from lower realized prices. Non-GAAP gross margin was 82.6%, down 0.9 points. Source
  • R&D spending rose 28%: R&D expense reached $3.5 billion, or 18% of revenue, reflecting investment across the early and late-stage portfolio. Source
  • Promotion raised selling costs: Marketing, selling and administrative expense rose 19% to $2.9 billion, mainly from promotion for ongoing and planned launches. Source
  • Special charges mainly litigation: Asset impairment, restructuring and other special charges were $279 million, against $35 million a year earlier. Source
  • Tax rate lower than a year earlier: The effective tax rate was 16.4%, against 20.2%. The prior-year rate was raised by a non-deductible acquired IPR&D charge. Source

“We also delivered pipeline progress across all four therapeutic areas and continued investing in Lilly's future growth through four acquisitions.”

David A. Ricks, Lilly chair and CEO

Pipeline, approvals and trials

  • Foundayo now available in U.S.: Foundayo, Lilly's oral GLP-1 pill for weight loss, is now available in the U.S. after FDA approval. Source
  • Foundayo long-term safety study reaffirmed: ACHIEVE-4, the longest Phase 3 study of Foundayo to date, reaffirmed its cardiovascular and overall safety profile and improvements in cardiometabolic measures. Source
  • Foundayo positive Phase 3 in diabetes: Phase 3 results for Foundayo were positive in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight at increased cardiovascular risk. Source
  • Retatrutide type 2 diabetes trial: In the first Phase 3 trial of retatrutide for type 2 diabetes, significant reductions in A1C and weight were shown. Source
  • Jaypirca extended progression-free survival: Jaypirca added to a venetoclax time-limited regimen significantly extended progression-free survival in previously treated CLL/SLL. Source
  • Taltz with Zepbound in psoriasis: A Phase 3b trial showed superior efficacy when Taltz and Zepbound were used together in adults with psoriasis and obesity or overweight. Source

Business development and acquisitions

  • Four acquisitions agreed: Lilly agreed to acquire Orna Therapeutics, Centessa Pharmaceuticals, Kelonia Therapeutics and Ajax Therapeutics, as described in recent updates. Source
  • Ajax targets blood cancers: The Ajax acquisition is intended to advance outcomes for patients with myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera. Source
  • Kelonia adds in vivo CAR-T: The Kelonia acquisition is intended to advance in vivo CAR-T cell therapies. Source

Capital and shareholder returns

  • Dividend per share rose 15%: Dividends paid per share were $1.73, against $1.50 a year earlier. Weighted-average diluted shares were 895.9 million. Source
  • Net interest expense increased: Net interest expense was $253 million, against $195 million. Net other income was $188 million, against a $44 million expense. Source

Coming up, as management said on 30 April 2026

  • Investment Community Meeting planned: Lilly plans an Investment Community Meeting on December 7, 2026. Source
  • Guidance excludes later IPR&D: The 2026 guidance does not include acquired IPR&D incurred after March 31, 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Mounjaro revenue Source$8,662 million, up 125%
Zepbound revenue Source$4,160 million worldwide
Smaller launched products SourceJaypirca $165 million; Ebglyss $145 million; Kisunla $124 million; Omvoh $80 million; Inluriyo $35 million
R&D expense Source$3.5 billion, 18% of revenue
Acquired IPR&D charges Source$584 million
FDA approval SourceFoundayo (orforglipron) for adults with obesity

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Realized prices fell on Zepbound and Taltz in the U.S., and price pressure continues to affect realized revenue per unit. Source
  • Financial: Special charges of $279 million were primarily related to litigation matters in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Acquired IPR&D charges reduced reported EPS, and their size varies from period to period. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: The company said the results call was previously announced and would begin at 10 a.m. Eastern time that day. Source

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.