Eli Lilly sales soar 45% on weight loss drug demand, but drugmaker cuts profit outlook after cancer treatment deal

Eli Lilly on Thursday reported first-quarter revenue and earnings that topped estimates as demand for its weight loss and diabetes drugs soared, but lowered its full-year profit guidance due to charges related to a recent cancer treatment deal.

The pharmaceutical giant now expects its adjusted fiscal 2025 earnings to come in between $20.78 and $22.28 per share, down from a previous guidance of $22.50 to $24 per share. Eli Lilly said the revision reflects a $1.57 billion deal charge recorded in the first quarter, which is primarily related to its acquisition of a certain oral cancer drug from Scorpion Therapeutics.

The company maintained its fiscal 2025 sales guidance of $58 billion to $61 billion.

Here's what Eli Lilly reported for the first quarter compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: 

The company posted first-quarter revenue of $12.73 billion, up 45% from the same period a year ago. 

The pharmaceutical giant booked net income of $2.76 billion, or $3.06 per share, for the first quarter. That compares with net income of $2.24 billion, or $2.48 share, a year earlier. 

Excluding one-time items associated with the value of intangible assets and other adjustments, Eli Lilly posted earnings of $3.34 per share for the first quarter.

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