Eli Lilly Just Raised Its 2026 Sales Forecast to as Much as $92 Billion. But Is Viking Therapeutics the Next Big Obesity Winner?
Key PointsEli Lilly is one of the undisputed leaders in the weight loss market, and its progress in this area is helping it deliver excellent financial results.
Eli Lilly (LLY) has raised its 2026 sales forecast to as much as $92 billion, driven by its leadership in the weight loss market. The company's revenue grew by 39% year-over-year to $24.4 billion in the third quarter, with Zepbound sales increasing by 49% to $5.4 billion. This success has led to an increase in Eli Lilly's sales guidance from $85 billion to $87 billion to between $91 billion and $92 billion.
However, Viking Therapeutics (VKTX), a clinical-stage biotech, may pose a challenge to Eli Lilly's dominance in the weight-loss market. Viking's leading candidate, VK2735, mimics the actions of the gut hormones GLP-1 and GIP, similar to Zepbound. Preliminary clinical trial results for VK2735 have been promising, with mean weight loss of up to 14.7% in a Phase 2 study.
If this success continues, Viking Therapeutics could become a major player in the weight-loss market. However, competition from other companies, including Eli Lilly, could put pressure on Viking's stock price.
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