Erste Asset Management GmbH Sells 18,055 Shares of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD)

Erste Asset Management GmbH decreased its stake in Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) by 4.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 391,774 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 18,055 shares during the period. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Gilead Sciences were worth $36,862,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Gilead Sciences by 118.5% in the 4th quarter. HHM Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 284 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. YANKCOM Partnership bought a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter worth $28,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. bought a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Crews Bank & Trust bought a new position in shares of Gilead Sciences in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Stephens Consulting LLC boosted its stake in shares of Gilead Sciences by 325.0% in the 4th quarter. Stephens Consulting LLC now owns 340 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.67% of the company’s stock.

Gilead Sciences Trading Down 0.4 %

NASDAQ:GILD opened at $113.99 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $100.99 and a 200-day moving average price of $92.33. Gilead Sciences, Inc. has a 12 month low of $62.07 and a 12 month high of $119.96. The company has a current ratio of 1.50, a quick ratio of 1.20 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24. The stock has a market cap of $141.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 308.08, a P/E/G ratio of 0.71 and a beta of 0.21.

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.90 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.23. Gilead Sciences had a net margin of 1.67% and a return on equity of 31.63%. Equities analysts predict that Gilead Sciences, Inc. will post 7.95 EPS for the current year.

Gilead Sciences Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 28th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a $0.79 dividend. This represents a $3.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.77%. This is a positive change from Gilead Sciences’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.77. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Gilead Sciences’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 854.05%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on GILD. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $70.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Mizuho upped their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $85.00 to $96.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Friday, November 15th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $110.00 price objective for the company. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Gilead Sciences from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and four have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $104.52.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Andrew D. Dickinson sold 8,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $91.96, for a total value of $781,660.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 132,373 shares in the company, valued at $12,173,021.08. This trade represents a 6.03 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 311,285 shares of company stock worth $31,284,910 in the last three months. 0.16% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Gilead Sciences

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.