Sapient Capital LLC Boosts Stake in Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD)

Sapient Capital LLC raised its position in Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) by 7,067.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 185,360 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after buying an additional 182,774 shares during the period. Sapient Capital LLC’s holdings in Gilead Sciences were worth $20,770,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in GILD. Newbridge Financial Services Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Gilead Sciences during the 4th quarter valued at $33,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Gilead Sciences by 158.8% during the fourth quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 352 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 216 shares during the last quarter. Morton Brown Family Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences during the fourth quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Synergy Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in Gilead Sciences during the fourth quarter worth about $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Daniel Patrick O’day sold 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.42, for a total value of $1,104,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 620,268 shares in the company, valued at approximately $68,489,992.56. This represents a 1.59% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Johanna Mercier sold 28,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $107.52, for a total value of $3,010,560.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 121,152 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $13,026,263.04. The trade was a 18.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 43,000 shares of company stock valued at $4,630,310 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.27% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on GILD. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on Gilead Sciences in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $125.00 price objective on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Gilead Sciences from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $80.00 to $120.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Gilead Sciences from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on shares of Gilead Sciences from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and three have given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $110.55.

Gilead Sciences Trading Down 0.7%

Shares of GILD stock opened at $109.30 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a current ratio of 1.50. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a 52-week low of $62.69 and a 52-week high of $119.96. The company has a market capitalization of $135.96 billion, a PE ratio of 295.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 0.29. The business’s fifty day moving average is $105.40 and its 200 day moving average is $101.91.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 24th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.77 by $0.04. Gilead Sciences had a return on equity of 31.63% and a net margin of 1.67%. The company had revenue of $6.67 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $6.77 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($1.32) earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was down .3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Gilead Sciences Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 27th. Investors of record on Friday, June 13th will be paid a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.89%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 13th. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio is currently 66.53%.

Gilead Sciences Company Profile

Gilead Sciences, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines in the areas of unmet medical need in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company provides Biktarvy, Genvoya, Descovy, Odefsey, Truvada, Complera/ Eviplera, Stribild, Sunlencs, and Atripla products for the treatment of HIV/AIDS; Veklury, an injection for intravenous use, for the treatment of COVID-19; and Epclusa, Harvoni, Vemlidy, and Viread for the treatment of viral hepatitis.