Eli Lilly's Winning? Don't Pop the Champagne Yet
Okay, so Eli Lilly (LLY) stock is up because Novo Nordisk (NVO) is stumbling. Big deal. We're supposed to believe this is some kind of victory? Let's be real, it's like celebrating being the tallest dwarf. Both companies are still peddling weight-loss drugs at prices that would make a drug lord blush.
Novo Nordisk is whining about "copycat versions" of Ozempic and Wegovy eating into their profits. Boo-freaking-hoo. Maybe if they weren't charging an arm and a leg for a drug people need, they wouldn't have this problem. And now Eli Lilly is sitting pretty, soaking up the spilled gravy. It's all so predictable, ain't it? Eli Lilly Stock (LLY) Rises as Competitor Novo Nordisk Cuts Guidance
The "TrumpRx" Farce
Oh, and don't even get me started on this "TrumpRx" nonsense. A deal with Trump to sell Wegovy for $149 a month in exchange for Medicare and Medicaid coverage? Give me a break. That's still highway robbery for a lot of people. And let's not forget, that's just for the lowest dose. What happens when you need more to actually see results?
It's all a dog and pony show designed to make politicians look like they're doing something about drug prices. Please. This is a band-aid on a gaping wound. The real problem is the pharmaceutical industry's stranglehold on healthcare, and nobody in Washington seems to have the guts to actually do anything about it. Eli Lilly, Novo rise after striking drug pricing deal with Trump administration
Manufacturing Hype and Analyst Bull
Now Eli Lilly is building a new $3 billion manufacturing plant in the Netherlands. Fancy. It's all part of their grand plan to "reinforce" their global supply chain. I bet the execs patted themselves on the back for that one. More like reinforce their profit margins, if you ask me.
And the analysts? Don't even get me started. "Strong Buy rating," "Overweight rating," "Price target of $917.63." It's all just noise. These guys are paid to pump up stocks, not to tell the truth. Who are these 22 Wall Street analysts anyway? Do they even know what it's like to struggle to pay for medication? I highly doubt it. Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price target from $925 to $985... offcourse they did.
The Bottom Line
Eli Lilly is up 21.4% YTD while Novo Nordisk is down 45.4%. So what? Does that magically make healthcare more affordable? Does it cure cancer? No. It just means some rich people are getting richer while the rest of us are still struggling to afford the medications we need. Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a system that's designed to screw us over.