Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD)
Gilead Sciences is a major American healthcare company that develops life-saving medicines, particularly for viral diseases like HIV and hepatitis.
Is Gilead Sciences, Inc. a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Gilead Sciences is a major American healthcare company that develops life-saving medicines, particularly for viral diseases like HIV and hepatitis.
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.
A major breakthrough in a new medical field.
Failure to innovate and loss of market dominance.
What does Gilead Sciences, Inc. do?
Gilead focuses on discovering and selling advanced treatments for complex illnesses, making most of its money from its dominant position in the HIV medicine market. Because they own the patents to these essential drugs, they enjoy high profit margins, though they must constantly invest in new research to replace older products. Growth beyond their core viral business will come down to how well their newer cancer treatments perform.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on quality and income, and weakest on momentum.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.5% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 4% over the year
- ✓Very profitable - turns about 31% of sales into profit
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 43%)
- Quality screens high (77/100)
- Very high profit margins on core products
- Strong track record in the HIV treatment market
- Consistent dividend payments to shareholders
- Patents expiring, allowing cheaper generic competitors to enter
- Clinical trials failing to produce successful new medicines
- Changes in healthcare regulations affecting drug pricing
What do Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s numbers mean?
How much money does Gilead Sciences, Inc. make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Gilead Sciences, Inc. pay a dividend?
Yes - Gilead Sciences, Inc. currently pays a dividend of about 2.5% 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 Gilead Sciences, Inc. report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Gilead Sciences, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-07 | $1.91 | $2.03 | Beat +6% |
| 2026-02-10 | $1.81 | $1.86 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-10-30 | $2.14 | $2.47 | Beat +16% |
| 2025-08-07 | $1.96 | $2.01 | Beat +3% |
| 2025-04-24 | $1.78 | $1.81 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-02-11 | $1.70 | $1.90 | Beat +12% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Gilead Sciences, 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.
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Agilent Technologies, Inc.What are the scenarios for Gilead Sciences, 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 Gilead Sciences, Inc.?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Very high profit margins on core products
- Strong track record in the HIV treatment market
- Consistent dividend payments to shareholders
- Lower price volatility compared to the broader market
- Heavy reliance on a few key drug franchises
- High costs associated with constant research and development
- Pressure from governments to lower drug prices
- Patents expiring, allowing cheaper generic competitors to enter
- Clinical trials failing to produce successful new medicines
- Changes in healthcare regulations affecting drug pricing
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, permanent drop in HIV treatment demand
- A major failure in the company's research and development pipeline
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.