We're increasing our price target on Bristol Myers after earnings and guidance top forecasts

Core Viewpoint - Bristol Myers Squibb reported strong fourth quarter results and issued a 2026 forecast that exceeded Wall Street expectations, indicating potential for continued stock momentum in current market conditions [1] Financial Performance - Fourth quarter revenue increased by 1% to $12.5 billion, surpassing the expected $12.28 billion [1] - Earnings per share (EPS) fell 25% year over year to $1.26 but exceeded estimates of $1.12 [1] - Bristol Myers' shares rose over 1.5% despite a down day for the S&P 500, reflecting the stock's defensive nature [1] Product Performance - The new schizophrenia treatment Cobenfy has significant sales potential, although it is still in early stages [1] - Sales of the blood thinner Eliquis, the company's largest drug, increased by 8% annually, despite falling short of expectations [1] - Bristol Myers expects Eliquis sales to grow by 10% to 15% for the full year, contrary to analyst expectations of a 15% decline in 2026 [1] Cost Management - The company achieved a half percentage point of adjusted operating margin expansion due to cost-cutting efforts, with both research-and-development costs and overhead expenses declining year over year [1] - Bristol is on track to deliver approximately $1 billion in cost savings in 2025 and another $1 billion over the next two years [1] Future Outlook - Bristol Myers provided 2026 revenue guidance of $46 billion to $47.5 billion, better than the $44.16 billion expected [1] - Gross margin is projected to be 69% to 70%, below the FactSet consensus of 72.3% [1] - Adjusted earnings are expected to be between $6.05 and $6.35 per share, exceeding the $6.02 expected [1] - The company anticipates a busy year of trial readouts, with over 10 late-stage study updates expected, which could bolster investor confidence [1]