Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) ended the Christmas Eve session with a modest gain—and then stayed largely quiet in after-hours trading as U.S. markets wrapped an early close and investors looked ahead to the next full session on Friday, Dec. 26 (U.S. markets are closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25). [1]
Even with the calm tape, today’s coverage of BMY wasn’t short on strong opinions: several market commentators leaned into the “value + dividend” case, while others argued the stock is now closer to fair value after a year-end rebound and policy headlines around Eliquis pricing. [2]
Below is what BMY did after the bell on 12/24/2025, what today’s news/analysis is emphasizing, and the specific items that may matter most before trading resumes.
BMY stock after the bell today: price check and what the tape is saying
Because it’s Christmas Eve, the NYSE’s regular session closed early at 1:00 p.m. ET. [3]
BMY at the close (Dec. 24, 2025):
- Last price: $54.71
- Day change: +0.79%
- Intraday range: $54.20–$54.75
- Volume: ~10.0M shares [4]
After-hours snapshot (Dec. 24, 2025):
- Yahoo Finance showed $54.70 in after-hours trading at 4:50 p.m. ET, essentially flat versus the early close. [5]
Why the “after-hours” signal is weaker than usual tonight
Holiday sessions often come with thinner liquidity, and Christmas Eve was no exception across the broader market—meaning less volume can sometimes exaggerate small price moves (or make the lack of movement less meaningful). [6]
The market backdrop matters: record highs into the “Santa rally,” but holiday-thin trading
BMY’s modest move came as U.S. stocks pushed further into year-end strength. Reuters described the session as another record-setting day for major indexes in holiday-shortened trading, with investors continuing to digest rate expectations and cooling inflation narratives. [7]
AP also highlighted the light holiday volume and record closes in the major averages on Dec. 24, reinforcing the idea that broad “risk appetite” was supportive even as many desks were effectively closed for the week. [8]
For a defensive, dividend-heavy large pharma name like Bristol-Myers Squibb, that kind of tape often translates to steady participation rather than dramatic upside—especially when no fresh company-specific catalyst hits after the bell.
Today’s BMY news and analysis: what publishers focused on on Dec. 24
Here are the most notable BMY-specific write-ups and takeaways that published today (Dec. 24, 2025)—and what they imply heading into the next open.
1) MarketBeat: Wall Street consensus remains “Hold,” targets cluster around the mid-$50s
MarketBeat reported that brokerages covering BMY assign an average “Hold” recommendation, with an average 1-year target around $54.62—not far from where shares finished today. [9]
The same piece also reiterated several fundamentals that have become central to the BMY debate:
- Recent quarterly EPS beat and FY2025 EPS guidance cited around $6.40–$6.60 (as referenced by MarketBeat’s summary) [10]
- Dividend increase to $0.63 quarterly, with an ex-dividend date noted as Jan. 2, 2026 and a payment date listed as Feb. 2, 2026 [11]
- The near-term headline risk: Eliquis pricing/access commitments beginning in 2026 and how that might affect channel economics [12]
What it means for tomorrow: When a stock is already trading near the “average target,” it often becomes more sensitive to new incremental catalysts (policy, pipeline, or guidance updates) rather than simply re-rating on valuation alone.
2) Seeking Alpha (today): the “undervalued pharma giant” thesis is back—hard
One Seeking Alpha contributor published a bullish, value-driven argument early Dec. 24, calling BMY “significantly undervalued” and framing the stock as a defensive play with a high dividend yield and stronger “growth portfolio” contribution. [13]
Key claims in the piece include:
- Forward valuation around ~8x (as characterized by the author) [14]
- A larger share of revenue attributed to “growth portfolio” products and double-digit growth (per the author’s framing) [15]
- The dividend yield (cited around mid-4% range) as a core part of the total-return pitch [16]
What it means for tomorrow: This kind of content can matter in thin post-holiday sessions because it reinforces the “rotation into value/income” narrative—especially if bond yields stabilize and defensive sectors stay in favor.
3) Simply Wall St (today): “reassessing valuation” after Breyanzi approval—shares near fair value
Simply Wall St published a Dec. 24 piece tying sentiment to the FDA’s earlier clearance for Breyanzi in marginal zone lymphoma and arguing that after the recent rebound, BMY is closer to modeled fair value. [17]
Notably, their “narrative” model cited:
- A “fair value” figure around $53.55 versus the recent close near $54.71, implying modest downside in their framework [18]
- A warning that patent cliffs and drug pricing reform remain important risks to model assumptions [19]
What it means for tomorrow: This is the counterweight to the pure “deep value” pitch—if BMY is increasingly viewed as “fairly valued” in the mid-$50s, bulls may need pipeline execution or policy clarity to justify a sustained move higher.
4) The Motley Fool (today): dividend yield looks attractive—but patent cliffs are the big overhang
A Motley Fool article published late on Dec. 24 highlighted BMY as a high-yield healthcare idea, repeatedly emphasizing the dividend yield and framing the company as a “balance of risk and reward.” [20]
It also pointed directly at the risks that keep showing up in virtually every BMY debate:
- Patent expirations/generic competition pressure (the classic large pharma “patent cliff” issue) [21]
- The need for pipeline replenishment and acquisitions to offset legacy product erosion [22]
What it means for tomorrow: In a holiday-thin session, dividend narratives can support the stock, but “patent cliff” talking points can cap enthusiasm unless there’s fresh evidence of new product momentum.
5) ChartMill (today): a quantified “classic value case” (P/E, forward P/E, yield)
ChartMill published a Dec. 24 write-up describing BMY as a “classic value investing case,” citing:
- P/E ~8.27 and forward P/E ~8.91 (per ChartMill’s metrics)
- Dividend yield cited around ~4.73% in their profile
- A valuation score described as 9/10 in their system [23]
What it means for tomorrow: When multiple outlets converge on low-P/E + high-yield messaging, it often creates a psychological “floor” for dips—especially if broader markets remain steady into year-end.
6) Investing.com technical view: daily signal labeled “Strong Buy”
Investing.com’s technical summary page showed BMY’s daily technical indicators in a “Strong Buy” stance, citing multiple buy signals and no sell signals in that snapshot. [24]
What it means for tomorrow: Many short-term traders use these roll-up signals as a quick filter rather than a standalone decision tool. Still, it reinforces the idea that BMY has had upward momentum into late December.
The policy headline still in the background: Eliquis, drug pricing, and what could move BMY next
While today’s after-hours tape was calm, the bigger strategic story for BMY into 2026 remains the company’s December 19 agreement tied to U.S. drug affordability and access—because it directly touches Eliquis, one of the company’s most important products.
In its release, Bristol Myers Squibb said it would:
- Provide Eliquis (apixaban) for free to the Medicaid program, and
- Donate more than seven tons of Eliquis API to support a strategic active ingredient reserve,
- With the agreement providing tariff relief for a 3-year period. [25]
Other coverage around the broader set of drug-pricing deals also noted that multiple pharmaceutical companies joined similar agreements and that BMS’s commitment includes supplying Eliquis to Medicaid for free. [26]
Separately, Reuters reported on how Medicare out-of-pocket costs are expected to drop in 2026 for certain drugs under provisions linked to the Inflation Reduction Act, explicitly naming Eliquis among the drugs referenced. [27]
Why this matters before the next open:
Markets tend to re-price large pharma on policy clarity almost as much as on clinical data. If investors interpret these agreements as reducing long-term uncertainty, it can be supportive. If they interpret them as a margin/revenue headwind (even in a limited channel), it can pressure the multiple.
What to know before the market opens “tomorrow” (next open: Friday, Dec. 26, 2025)
1) Confirm the calendar: the next session is Dec. 26, and it’s a full trading day
- NYSE and Nasdaq were scheduled to close early on Dec. 24 and remain closed Dec. 25 for Christmas. [28]
- Reuters also noted major U.S. exchanges would stick with normal scheduling on Dec. 26 despite the federal government closure directive. [29]
2) Expect thin liquidity—and potentially noisier price action than usual
Holiday weeks can produce exaggerated moves (or false breakouts) because institutional participation is lower. The Dec. 24 session saw notably light overall NYSE volume, per AP’s report. [30]
3) Don’t overread “forecasts”—separate Wall Street targets from algorithmic predictions
If you’re checking “forecast” pages tonight, keep the buckets separate:
- Analyst targets / consensus: MarketBeat’s mean target around $54.62 and “Hold” consensus reflects sell-side research aggregation. [31]
- Model-based fair value: Simply Wall St’s narrative framework put fair value near $53.55 (their model, not a bank target). [32]
- Algorithmic short-term predictions: Some sites publish day-by-day price projections (for example, CoinCodex listed point estimates for late December sessions). Treat these as highly speculative and not equivalent to analyst research. [33]
4) Macro calendar looks light—but government statistical releases may be affected
A MarketWatch economic calendar listing indicated none scheduled for Friday, Dec. 26. [34]
At the same time, the Federal Reserve’s calendar notes federal government offices closed on Dec. 26, and that certain daily/weekly statistical releases scheduled for that day would be released the next business day (Dec. 29). [35]
Practical takeaway: If you typically trade BMY around macro prints, Friday may be more about positioning, sector rotation, and headlines than about scheduled data surprises.
5) The “what could actually move BMY” checklist for the next session
Heading into Dec. 26, the highest-signal catalysts for BMY are still:
- Policy headlines tied to drug pricing and implementation details around Medicaid/Eliquis commitments [36]
- Pipeline/approval momentum (Breyanzi and broader hematology/oncology narrative remains a sentiment driver, even if the approval itself wasn’t today) [37]
- Positioning around valuation + dividend (multiple Dec. 24 analyses are explicitly reinforcing this framing) [38]
Bottom line for BMY after hours: calm price action, loud narrative debate
Bristol-Myers Squibb stock is ending Dec. 24 in a familiar place: steady, income-oriented, and increasingly framed as either (a) an undervalued cash-flow compounder or (b) a stock that has already re-rated closer to fair value after a late-2025 rebound. [39]
Into the next market open on Friday, Dec. 26, the smartest “before-the-bell” preparation isn’t hunting for an after-hours spike—it’s watching for:
- Any new details on U.S. drug pricing/access agreements impacting Eliquis economics, [40]
- Signs that year-end momentum continues (or fades) in a low-liquidity session, [41]
- Whether BMY holds its recent range near the mid-$50s as investors weigh dividends, patent cliffs, and pipeline execution. [42]
This article is informational and not financial advice.
References
1. www.nyse.com, 2. seekingalpha.com, 3. www.nyse.com, 4. www.investing.com, 5. finance.yahoo.com, 6. apnews.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. apnews.com, 9. www.marketbeat.com, 10. www.marketbeat.com, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. www.marketbeat.com, 13. seekingalpha.com, 14. seekingalpha.com, 15. seekingalpha.com, 16. seekingalpha.com, 17. simplywall.st, 18. simplywall.st, 19. simplywall.st, 20. www.fool.com, 21. www.fool.com, 22. www.fool.com, 23. www.chartmill.com, 24. www.investing.com, 25. news.bms.com, 26. www.marketwatch.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. www.nyse.com, 29. www.reuters.com, 30. apnews.com, 31. www.marketbeat.com, 32. simplywall.st, 33. coincodex.com, 34. www.marketwatch.com, 35. www.federalreserve.gov, 36. news.bms.com, 37. simplywall.st, 38. www.fool.com, 39. seekingalpha.com, 40. news.bms.com, 41. apnews.com, 42. www.fool.com
