Amgen Inc. (AMGN)
Amgen is a global biotechnology giant that researches, develops, and manufactures complex medicines to treat serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Is Amgen Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Amgen is a global biotechnology giant that researches, develops, and manufactures complex medicines to treat serious illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Breakthroughs in major disease areas
Failure to replace aging drug portfolio
What does Amgen Inc. do?
Amgen operates by discovering and producing high-tech biological drugs, which are often more complex to make than traditional chemical pills. Sold to hospitals and pharmacies worldwide, these specialised treatments are what bring in the money. Their future rests on continually inventing new, successful drugs to replace older ones as patents expire.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and quality, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.6% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 6% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 21% of sales into profit
- !Carries a lot of debt - roughly 6.2x its equity
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 101%)
- Momentum screens high (77/100)
- High profit margins show strong control over production costs
- Consistent history of paying dividends to shareholders
- Lower volatility compared to the broader market
- Strict government regulation of drug pricing
- The high cost and uncertainty of scientific research and development
- Legal challenges regarding patent expirations
What do Amgen Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Amgen Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Amgen Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Amgen Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 2.6% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Amgen Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Amgen Inc. is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-04 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-30 | $4.77 | $5.15 | Beat +8% |
| 2026-02-03 | $4.73 | $5.29 | Beat +12% |
| 2025-11-04 | $5.01 | $5.64 | Beat +12% |
| 2025-08-05 | $5.28 | $6.02 | Beat +14% |
| 2025-05-01 | $4.26 | $4.90 | Beat +15% |
| 2025-02-04 | $5.08 | $5.31 | Beat +5% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Amgen Inc. came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
More in Healthcare
Eli Lilly
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Incyte Corporation
The Cigna Group
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
Moderna, Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.What are the scenarios for Amgen Inc.?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Amgen Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- High profit margins show strong control over production costs
- Consistent history of paying dividends to shareholders
- Lower volatility compared to the broader market
- Strong track record in complex biological manufacturing
- High price-to-book ratio suggests the shares are priced at a significant premium to their physical assets
- Modest revenue growth compared to faster-moving tech sectors
- Heavy reliance on the success of a few key drug products
- Strict government regulation of drug pricing
- The high cost and uncertainty of scientific research and development
- Legal challenges regarding patent expirations
- Potential for clinical trial failures to wipe out years of investment
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A major, unexpected failure in a late-stage clinical trial
- Significant changes to government healthcare reimbursement policies
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.