Group 1: Market Overview - Resurfaced tensions between the U.S. and China have led to a significant market reaction, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling over 2% due to President Trump's announcement of a 100% tariff on Chinese goods starting November 1 [1] - The tariff decision was influenced by China's aggressive stance in ongoing trade talks, including new export controls on the U.S. [1] Group 2: Defensive Investment Opportunities - In light of market volatility, investors are seeking defensive stocks to safeguard their portfolios [2] - The medical sector has been highlighted as a defensive position, with companies like Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) performing well [3] Group 3: Company Performance - Gilead Sciences and Johnson & Johnson are near their 52-week highs, with both stocks up more than 25% year to date, driven by strong drug pipelines [4] - Both companies offer attractive dividends around 2.7%, surpassing the Zacks Medical sector average of 1.47% and the S&P 500 average of 1.1% [5] Group 4: Kroger's Position in Retail - Kroger (KR) is recognized as a defensive investment, with its stock up 13% in 2025 despite earlier tariff concerns [9] - Kroger's stock trades at a reasonable 14X forward earnings multiple and under 2X sales, indicating strong value [9] - The company has shown steady growth, earning an overall "A" VGM Zacks Style Scores grade for Value, Growth, and Momentum, along with an annual dividend yield of over 2% [10] Group 5: Dividend Metrics - Kroger's annual dividend is $1.40 with a yield of 2.07%, and it has a 15.24% annualized dividend growth rate over the last five years [11] - The company's payout ratio stands at 28%, suggesting potential for future dividend increases [10][11] Group 6: Investment Outlook - Gilead Sciences, Johnson & Johnson, and Kroger are positioned as viable defensive investments, currently holding a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [12]

Key Takeaways Gilead reached patent settlements with Lupin, Cipla, and Laurus over generic Biktarvy.No Biktarvy generic entry is expected in the U.S. before April 1, 2036.FDA approval of Yeztugo and strong Biktarvy sales drive Gilead's HIV portfolio growth.Gilead Sciences, Inc., (GILD) announced that it has entered into settlement agreements to resolve the patent litigations with a few generic manufacturers who were looking to market generic versions of its flagship HIV treatment, Biktarvy.Biktarvy is one o ...

Gilead stock popped Monday after the biotech giant said it signed deals with three generic drugmakers to delay their Biktarvy copycats for two years.RBC Capital Markets analyst Brian Abrahams called the news a "solid win for GILD to extend their HIV life cycle."Biktarvy is, by far, Gilead Sciences (GILD) biggest moneymaker. The HIV treatment brought in $3.53 billion second-quarter sales. That accounted for more than 69% of the company's HIV sales.Under the deal, generic drugmakers Lupin, Laurus Labs and Cip ...

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) has reached settlement agreements with Lupin, Cipla, and Laurus Labs to resolve patent disputes related to Biktarvy, a medication for HIV. These companies had sought approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to produce generic versions of ...

每经AI快讯，10月6日，吉利德科学股价盘前上涨4.8%。 ...

Key Points Novartis and Gilead Sciences have businesses that can perform well during downturns. Novartis has an extensive portfolio of medicines across many therapeutic areas. Gilead Sciences leads the HIV market and is expanding its oncology lineup. 10 stocks we like better than Novartis › Equity markets experienced significant volatility this year. Many investors feared that President Donald Trump's aggressive trade policies would plunge the economy into a recession and lead to a full-blown sto ...

Core Insights - Gilead Sciences (GILD) stock closed at $112.69, reflecting a +1.93% change from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.01% [1] - The stock has decreased by 1.96% over the past month, underperforming the Medical sector's increase of 4.67% and the S&P 500's rise of 4.83% [1] Earnings Performance - Gilead Sciences is expected to report an EPS of $2.15, representing a 6.44% increase from the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is forecasted at $7.43 billion, indicating a 1.59% decline compared to the same quarter last year [2] Annual Estimates - For the annual period, earnings are anticipated to be $8.08 per share, with revenue projected at $28.75 billion, reflecting increases of +74.89% and no change, respectively, from the previous year [3] Analyst Sentiment - Recent changes in analyst estimates suggest optimism regarding Gilead Sciences' business and profitability [3] - The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has decreased by 0.21% over the last 30 days, and Gilead Sciences currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [5] Valuation Metrics - Gilead Sciences has a Forward P/E ratio of 13.68, which is lower than the industry average of 19.42, indicating it is trading at a discount [6] - The PEG ratio for Gilead Sciences is currently 0.75, compared to the industry average of 1.82, suggesting favorable valuation relative to growth expectations [7] Industry Context - The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, where Gilead operates, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 74, placing it in the top 30% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that top-rated industries outperform lower-rated ones by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]

Live Chat on The Biotech Forum sees frequent discussion of specific covered call trades. To see what covered call trades I am currently executing along with a model portfolio of attractive biotech stocks, just initiate your free trial into The Biotech Forum by clicking HERE .I thought I would do something different for my column today. I will try to peer out into the next year and make three way-too-early predictions for 2026. They follow below.Bret leads the investing group The Biotech Forum , in which he ...

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) is one of the best medical stocks to buy now. RBC Capital analyst Brian Abrahams maintained a Hold rating on Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) on September 29 and set a price target of $98.00. Why Gilead Sciences (GILD) Deserves Attention in the Cheap Quarterly Dividend Stocks Category Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) reported a 2% growth in its total revenues for fiscal Q2 2025 to $7.1 billion compared to the same period last year, with management attributing the ...

Core Insights - Significant investors have adopted a bearish stance on Gilead Sciences, indicating potential insider knowledge of upcoming events [1] - The overall sentiment among large traders is 37% bullish and 50% bearish, with notable options activity observed [2] - The target price for Gilead Sciences is projected between $105.0 and $114.0 based on recent trading activity [3] Options Activity - In the last 30 days, Gilead Sciences has seen a mix of put and call options, with a total of $347,957 in puts and $145,672 in calls [2] - Noteworthy options trades include a bearish put sweep for $102.5K and a bullish call sweep for $34.1K, indicating varied investor sentiment [10] Company Overview - Gilead Sciences focuses on developing therapies for life-threatening infectious diseases, particularly in HIV and hepatitis [11] - The company has expanded into oncology through acquisitions, including CAR-T cell therapy and cancer treatments [11] Current Performance - Gilead Sciences is currently trading at $110.25, with a trading volume of 5,933,314 and a recent price decline of -0.81% [16] - Analysts have a consensus target price of $145.0, with one analyst maintaining an Overweight rating [13][14]