Eli Lilly raises 2026 revenue forecast amid strong drug sales

Eli Lilly, a major competitor to Denmark's Novo Nordisk, has significantly boosted its revenue forecast for 2026. The U.S. pharmaceutical giant now anticipates a total annual turnover between $85 billion and $87 billion, a notable increase from its previous projection of $82 billion to $85 billion.

This upward revision stems from the company's substantial growth in the first half of the year. Revenue surged by 51%, reaching $42.8 billion in the first six months of 2025, compared to $28.3 billion in the same period last year. Profit after tax also saw a 72% increase, totaling $14.5 billion.

CEO David A. Ricks attributed the company's strong performance to its "next generation weight-loss drug, retatrutide," alongside "complete clinical data, new manufacturing capacity coming online, and exciting new projects entering our pipeline." The company's weight-loss and diabetes medications, Mounjaro and Zepbound, are directly competing with Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy. Sales of Mounjaro more than doubled to $18.6 billion, while Zepbound sales grew by 60%. The newly introduced weight-loss pill, Foundayo, generated $98 million in its first quarter.

The positive financial news sent Eli Lilly's stock up approximately 7% in pre-market trading. This contrasts with the performance of rival Novo Nordisk, which saw its stock drop more than 5% on the same day after releasing its own interim report. Analysts have cited disappointing trial data for Novo Nordisk's weight-loss candidate, Cagrisema, as a potential reason for the stock's decline.

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Lilly's momentum continues. With our next generation weight-loss drug, retatrutide, and the associated complete package of clinical data, new manufacturing capacity coming online, and exciting new projects entering our pipeline through business development, Lilly's future - after 150 years - has never looked brighter.