8 January 2026 | 5:01AM EST Equity Research Americas Healthcare: Biotechnology: Constructive backdrop for 2026 Following strong performance for the sector exiting 2025 (XBI +35% vs. S&P 500 +16%), driven by the convergence of a number of key factors, notably, broader market dynamics (e.g., macro/AI-trade rotations and rates), easing policy risks (e.g., Most-Favored-Nations (MFN) drug pricing deals), and improving fundamentals (e.g., stable/upward large-cap estimate revisions and SMID catalyst execution), we ...

Amgen Inc. (AMGN), headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California, discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers human therapeutics. With a market cap of $176.4 billion, the company focuses on human therapeutics and develops novel medicines based on cellular and molecular biology. The drug manufacturing giant is expected to announce its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings for 2025 in the near term. Ahead of the event, analysts expect AMGN to report a profit of $4.74 per share on a diluted basis, down 10.7% from ...

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) is included among the 14 Best Pharma Dividend Stocks to Buy in 2026. Strong Results and Pipeline Momentum Power Amgen’s (AMGN) 2025 Rally Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) has outperformed the broader market this year, supported by strong financial results and steady clinical progress, even as investors keep an eye on upcoming patent expirations. The stock is up more than 27% since the start of 2025. In the third quarter, revenue rose 12% from a year earlier to $9.6 billion. Several of t ...

Core Insights - Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) and Amgen (AMGN) are leading global biotechnology companies with diverse portfolios focused on various therapeutic areas [1][2] - Both companies have established strong market positions and consistently delivered shareholder value, making stock selection challenging [3] BMY Overview - BMY's growth portfolio includes drugs such as Opdivo, Reblozyl, and Breyanzi, contributing to strong top-line growth [4][10] - Opdivo sales are driven by its launch in MSI-high colorectal cancer and growth in non-small cell lung cancer, with global sales expected to increase in the high single-digit to low double-digit range by 2025 [5][6] - Reblozyl has annualized sales exceeding $2 billion, significantly boosting BMY's revenue, while Breyanzi sales are also strong, annualizing over $1 billion [7][8] - BMY's legacy portfolio is facing challenges due to generic competition, with expected declines of 15-17% in 2025 [11][12] AMGN Overview - Amgen has a vast portfolio with strong positions in oncology, cardiovascular disease, and rare diseases, supported by growth products like Repatha and Tezspire [13][14] - Despite competitive pressures affecting some products, Amgen's growth trajectory is driven by key drugs and a robust pipeline [15] - The acquisition of Horizon Therapeutics has expanded Amgen's rare disease offerings, enhancing its market position [16] Financial Estimates - BMY's 2025 sales are estimated to decrease by 0.8%, while EPS is expected to increase by 466.09% [17] - AMGN's 2025 sales are projected to grow by 8.78%, with EPS improving by 7.26% [20] Price Performance and Valuation - Over the past six months, BMY has outperformed AMGN slightly, with gains of 13.9% compared to AMGN's 13.5% [21] - In terms of valuation, AMGN trades at a higher forward P/E of 15.2X compared to BMY's 8.99X, indicating a more expensive valuation [21] - BMY offers a higher dividend yield of 4.54% compared to AMGN's 2.86% [22] Investment Considerations - Both companies are considered safe investments in the biotech sector, but AMGN is currently viewed as a better pick due to solid fundamentals and positive estimate revisions [23][25]

In this article, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks.Drug pricing has become one of the biggest pressure points for pharmaceutical companies this year, as the U.S. moves to rein in what consumers pay at the pharmacy counter.For most drugmakers, the US is the largest single market. Prices there are often close to three times higher than in other developed countries. Branded medicines carry even steeper premiums. That gap explains why so much of the industry’s revenue still depends on Amer ...

GoodRx Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:GDRX) is one of the cheap penny stocks to invest in. On December 18, Morgan Stanley lowered the firm’s price target on GoodRx to $4 from $5 and kept an Equal Weight rating on the shares. In a 2026 outlook for the Healthcare Services sector, the firm highlighted a strong environment for market-beating returns within healthcare tech and provider stocks. In contrast, Morgan Stanley remains cautious on managed care and noted that after a weak 2025, the subsector continues to face a ...

Key Takeaways AMGN agreed to lower U.S. drug prices, align them with other developed markets and offer deep DTC discounts.AMGN expanded its AmgenNow program to Repatha, Aimovig and Amjevita with discounts of up to 80%.Amgen plans $2.5B in U.S. manufacturing and R&D investments tied to tariff exemptions.Amgen (AMGN) recently signed a landmark agreement with the Trump administration to lower drug prices in the United States.Through this deal, Amgen addresses the two major concerns that have plagued Big Pharma ...

Industry Overview - The drug and biotech sector has shown recovery after a weak first half, with large drugmakers signing pricing agreements with the Trump administration [1] - Dealmaking activity surged in the second half, boosting investor confidence, with the Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry outperforming the S&P 500 in the past three months [1][4] - Innovation is at its peak, particularly in areas like obesity, cell and gene therapy, and next-gen oncology treatments, attracting investor attention [2] - Despite headwinds such as pipeline setbacks and regulatory risks, the outlook for growth in 2026 remains favorable due to rapid innovation and increased use of AI in drug development [2] Eli Lilly - Eli Lilly has achieved significant success with its tirzepatide medicines, including diabetes drug Mounjaro and weight loss medicine Zepbound, which are key revenue drivers [6][7] - Strong sales growth in 2025 is attributed to international market launches and improved production, with continued demand expected in 2026 [7] - Lilly is investing in obesity treatments with new molecules in clinical development, including orforglipron and retatrutide, with regulatory applications filed for orforglipron [8][9] - Despite challenges like declining product prices and competition in the GLP-1 market, Lilly's stock has risen 39.3% year to date, with 2026 earnings estimates improving from $30.78 to $33.61 per share [10] Johnson & Johnson - J&J has shown strong operational performance in 2025, with double-digit revenue growth from key brands despite the loss of exclusivity for Stelara [11] - The Innovative Medicine segment is expected to accelerate growth in 2026, driven by key products and new launches [12] - J&J's MedTech business has improved, with growth driven by acquired cardiovascular businesses and new product launches expected to contribute to 2026 growth [13][14] - The company has advanced its pipeline significantly and is on an acquisition spree, with a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) and a stock rise of 43.3% year to date [17] AbbVie - AbbVie faces declining sales from Humira due to loss of exclusivity but has successfully launched new immunology medicines Skyrizi and Rinvoq, generating combined sales of $18.5 billion in the first nine months of 2025 [18][19] - Strong market growth and new indications for these drugs are expected to drive future growth, alongside contributions from newer drugs [20] - AbbVie anticipates a high single-digit CAGR through 2029, supported by robust performance from Skyrizi and Rinvoq, with a Zacks Rank of 3 and a stock rise of 28.2% year to date [21][22] Amgen - Amgen's revenue growth is driven by key medicines like Repatha and new biosimilars, compensating for declines from mature drugs [23][24] - The company is focusing on obesity treatments with its candidate MariTide, which differentiates itself with a convenient dosing method [24] - Amgen's stock has risen 27.3% year to date, with 2026 earnings estimates increasing from $21.43 to $21.62 per share [25] AstraZeneca - AstraZeneca has several blockbuster drugs exceeding $1 billion in sales, with newer products contributing to growth despite losses from mature brands [26][27] - The company expects to achieve industry-leading top-line growth through 2030, with plans to launch 20 new medicines and generate $80 billion in total revenues [28] - AstraZeneca faces challenges such as competition and regulatory impacts but maintains a stable earnings estimate of $5.15 per share for 2026, with a stock rise of 10.7% year to date [29][30]

Core Insights - President Trump announced a set of drug-pricing agreements with nine major pharmaceutical companies, aiming to align U.S. medicine costs with those in Europe [1][2] - The initiative includes a new direct-to-consumer portal, TrumpRx.gov, allowing patients to purchase certain medicines directly from manufacturers [2][4] Group 1: Agreements and Participants - The agreements involve 14 out of 17 drugmakers that Trump previously urged to lower prices, including Amgen, GSK, and Merck [2][3] - Drug companies are motivated to negotiate to avoid potential regulatory measures that could impact their profits [3] Group 2: TrumpRx.gov Functionality - TrumpRx.gov will serve as a central directory for patients to access selected medicines directly from manufacturers' websites [4] - The portal is expected to be fully operational by January, following a promotional launch [4] Group 3: Pricing Details - Highlighted medicines include Amgen's Repatha at $239/month, GSK's Advair Diskus at $89/month, and Merck's Januvia at $100/month [6] - Gilead's Epclusa will be priced at $2,492/month, despite lower costs for insured patients [6] Group 4: Impact on Medicaid and Medicare - Companies committed to launching new medicines in the U.S. at prices comparable to those in other wealthy countries [8] - Medicaid programs are legally entitled to the lowest drug prices, with Bristol Myers Squibb offering Eliquis free to Medicaid [9] Group 5: Industry Response and Future Outlook - Health policy experts express skepticism about the agreements' impact on overall drug prices for most Americans [10] - The agreements do not impose mandatory price controls and leave many brand-name drug costs unchanged [15] - Ongoing discussions with additional manufacturers like AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson may lead to further agreements [14]

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) is included among the 15 Best Blue-Chip Stocks with Growing Dividends. Amgen (AMGN) Price Target Trimmed at Morgan Stanley as Policy Risks Ease On December 12, Morgan Stanley cut its price target for Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) from $329 to $304, but kept its Equal Weight rating. The firm’s 2026 biopharma outlook sounds more optimistic, noting that a lot of the policy headaches that dragged the industry down this year will finally ease up. With that out of the way, investors can sta ...