December 15, 2025 — Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) stock is starting the new week in focus as investors weigh a rapid-fire set of catalysts: a headline-grabbing Phase 3 result for next‑generation obesity drug retatrutide, fresh scrutiny around the FDA review timeline for oral GLP‑1 candidate orforglipron, ongoing capacity expansion in the U.S., and a notable analyst price-target tweak hitting the tape today. [1]
Below is what’s moving Eli Lilly stock as of 15.12.2025, what the latest forecasts imply, and which risks matter most heading into 2026.
Eli Lilly stock price today: where LLY is trading on Dec. 15, 2025
LLY shares were trading around the $1,0xx level in morning market hours on Monday. StockAnalysis listed LLY at $1,048.47 at 10:09 a.m. ET (market open), up about 2% on the day, with a previous close of $1,027.51 and an intraday range that reached the $1,058 area. [2]
That price action matters for two reasons:
- It shows the market is still rewarding Lilly’s obesity pipeline momentum even after a choppy stretch in early December. [3]
- It sets the baseline investors use to judge “upside” implied by today’s analyst notes and broader consensus targets. [4]
Today’s headline analyst move: Bank of America trims target, keeps “Buy”
One of the most concrete “from today” items for LLY investors is an updated call from Bank of America.
MarketBeat reported that Bank of America decreased its price target on Eli Lilly to $1,268 from $1,286, while maintaining a “buy” rating (published Monday, Dec. 15). [5]
A small trim like this is often less about suddenly souring on the story and more about calibration—especially for a stock where expectations are already extremely high and short-term news flow can swing sentiment quickly.
The big catalyst still driving the narrative: Retatrutide’s Phase 3 “obesity‑plus” readout
The single biggest story investors are still digesting is Lilly’s late‑stage data for retatrutide, a “triple agonist” obesity drug designed to activate GLP‑1, GIP, and glucagon pathways.
Reuters reported that in a late‑stage trial involving patients with obesity and knee osteoarthritis, those on the highest dose lost an average of 28.7% of body weight (about 71.2 pounds) over 68 weeks, and the readout also showed meaningful relief in osteoarthritis pain measures. [6]
Why that matters for LLY stock (and why it’s still moving shares days later):
- It raises the ceiling on what “best-in-class” weight-loss efficacy might look like, potentially strengthening Lilly’s long-term competitive positioning even as more entrants chase the obesity market. [7]
- It supports Lilly’s broader “obesity‑plus” framing—using weight-loss medicines to address related high-cost conditions (like osteoarthritis pain) that could expand the addressable market and payer willingness over time. [8]
- It extends the pipeline runway: Reuters noted seven additional Phase 3 trials for retatrutide in obesity and type 2 diabetes are expected to complete in 2026. [9]
A second 2026 catalyst: Orforglipron and the FDA review “clock” question
While retatrutide is the long game, orforglipron is the nearer-term catalyst investors are circling because it could reshape supply dynamics and pricing in GLP‑1s if it becomes a scalable oral option.
A Reuters exclusive published Dec. 12 said FDA leadership pushed internally to speed parts of the review process for Lilly’s orforglipron, including proposals to cut the “filing review” time dramatically (from 60 days to one week, with later internal discussion of two to three weeks depending on complexity). Reuters reported that if a new timeline were adopted, an FDA decision could arrive as early as March 28, ahead of a previously set May 20 deadline. [10]
Reuters also tied this to broader policy context:
- The National Priority Voucher program (launched in June) is designed to accelerate FDA decisions for drugs tied to “critical public health” or national security impact; Reuters reported 15 vouchers had been issued so far, promising one- to two‑month reviews versus typical timelines. [11]
- Lilly received a voucher for orforglipron in November as part of a broader deal linked to lowering prices for weight-loss medicines in some channels, Reuters reported. [12]
For investors, the key point is not just “faster is good.” It’s that the market is trying to model the probability—and timing—of an oral GLP‑1 entrant that could (a) expand patient access and (b) intensify competition, including against Novo Nordisk’s oral ambitions. [13]
Manufacturing matters: Lilly’s $6 billion Alabama facility and the supply thesis
Obesity drugs aren’t just a science story—they’re a capacity story. On that front, Reuters reported that Lilly will invest more than $6 billion to build an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) facility in Huntsville, Alabama, with construction expected to begin in 2026 and complete by 2032. Reuters said the site is expected to create about 3,000 construction jobs and employ roughly 450 people when operational, and will produce medicines including orforglipron. [14]
The market takeaway: Lilly is spending now to defend market share later. For LLY stock, that can support the long-term growth narrative, but it also keeps investors attentive to execution risk and the sheer scale of capital intensity required to sustain GLP‑1 leadership. [15]
Pricing and access: Zepbound price cuts are part of the 2026 debate
Pricing pressure is not theoretical anymore. On Dec. 1, Reuters reported that Lilly cut prices for Zepbound single-dose vials in its self-pay program—lowering the 2.5 mg vial monthly price to $299 (from $349) and the 5 mg vial to $399 (from $499), among other adjustments. [16]
From an investor perspective, this is the trade-off at the heart of the GLP‑1 era:
- Lower prices can reduce friction and potentially increase volume.
- But they can also pressure margins—especially if competition accelerates or if policy shifts change the rules of reimbursement.
Either way, price/access moves have become regular “stock narrative” inputs for LLY. [17]
Additional near-term news investors are tracking this week
EMA signal: Mounjaro label expansion in children
Reuters reported that an EU committee backed extending the use of Mounjaro to children aged 10 and above (type 2 diabetes). If the recommendation translates into broader authorization, it would expand Lilly’s pediatric footprint in Europe. [18]
Competition is rising—especially in oral obesity drugs
Barron’s highlighted how emerging obesity drug developers can move markets and inject “competition risk” into Lilly/Novo dominance narratives, pointing to strong results from a smaller competitor’s oral candidate and how those headlines can weigh on incumbents even before Phase 3. [19]
LLY stock forecast: what Wall Street price targets imply on Dec. 15, 2025
“Forecast” depends heavily on the dataset you use, because each platform aggregates a different mix of banks and updates.
- MarketBeat showed an average 12‑month price target of $1,128.55 (high $1,300, low $900) based on 26 analysts, implying mid‑single‑digit upside from its referenced current price. [20]
- StockAnalysis listed an analyst price target around $1,084.06, with an overall consensus marked “Strong Buy,” again implying only modest upside from where LLY traded today. [21]
- Meanwhile, the individual Bank of America target discussed above sits higher at $1,268, showing that bullish outliers remain meaningfully more optimistic than consensus averages. [22]
The practical interpretation for readers: after a massive run, many models now show that a lot of Lilly’s medium-term success is already priced in—so incremental upside may require either (1) upside surprises in demand/penetration, (2) faster-than-expected regulatory wins, or (3) even stronger pipeline readouts than the market already assumes.
Fundamentals recap: last results, raised guidance, and the valuation question
Lilly’s most recent quarterly report reinforced why LLY has become a market heavyweight.
Reuters reported that Lilly delivered Q3 EPS of $7.02 and raised full‑year guidance: adjusted EPS of $23.00–$23.70 and revenue of $63.0–$63.5 billion. [23]
A PRNewswire release carrying Lilly’s results similarly highlighted Q3 revenue growth to $17.60 billion and the same raised 2025 guidance ranges. [24]
But the valuation remains a core debate. StockAnalysis listed LLY at a P/E ratio ~51 (with a lower forward P/E listed), underscoring why the stock can be sensitive to any hint of slower growth or increased pricing pressure. [25]
Risks and watch-outs for Eli Lilly stock in 2026
Even with dominant momentum, LLY’s risk stack is real—and it’s exactly what long-form investor analysis is focusing on right now.
Valuation risk: When a stock trades at elevated multiples, “good news” isn’t always enough—results often need to be great to justify additional rerating. [26]
Regulatory/process risk: Reuters’ reporting on attempts to shorten FDA timelines underscores how sensitive markets are to process shifts—and also why some experts worry that speed mandates could raise safety/quality concerns. [27]
Pricing pressure: Reuters’ Zepbound price cuts show that “access” is becoming an active lever—and a profit variable—not just a headline. [28]
Competition risk: From major peers to smaller biotechs, the obesity space is filling up, and even early‑stage data from competitors can affect sentiment toward the incumbents. [29]
Tolerability and discontinuation: Retatrutide’s efficacy is eye-catching, but side effects (GI issues and other events) and discontinuation rates are part of the real-world adoption story—MarketWatch and Investing.com both emphasized tolerability as a key consideration alongside the impressive weight loss. [30]
What to watch next for LLY stock
The next meaningful “checkpoints” investors are likely to track include:
- Additional retatrutide Phase 3 updates expected through 2026 [31]
- Any concrete changes in FDA review timing or public communication around the orforglipron pathway [32]
- Evidence that pricing moves expand volume without triggering outsized margin compression [33]
- More manufacturing/capacity milestones as Lilly scales to meet demand [34]
Bottom line
As of December 15, 2025, Eli Lilly stock remains driven by a familiar—but still powerful—mix: breakthrough obesity data, regulatory timing catalysts, manufacturing scale-up, and ongoing pricing/access recalibration. The market is still rewarding Lilly’s leadership in GLP‑1s, but today’s forecasts suggest that with the stock already near record territory, future upside may hinge on execution and the next wave of pipeline wins rather than simply “being the leader.”
References
1. www.reuters.com, 2. stockanalysis.com, 3. stockanalysis.com, 4. www.marketbeat.com, 5. www.marketbeat.com, 6. www.reuters.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.marketwatch.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.reuters.com, 16. www.reuters.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.reuters.com, 19. www.barrons.com, 20. www.marketbeat.com, 21. stockanalysis.com, 22. www.marketbeat.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.prnewswire.com, 25. stockanalysis.com, 26. stockanalysis.com, 27. www.reuters.com, 28. www.reuters.com, 29. www.barrons.com, 30. www.marketwatch.com, 31. www.reuters.com, 32. www.reuters.com, 33. www.reuters.com, 34. www.reuters.com
