Update-2 3/6/26… After the close learned that UBS upgraded biopharma stocks. Will review the sector over the weekend. XBI turned green and flat not down at the close. The IBB found buyers at $167. XNCR was up 1.35 at $11.
Update-1 3/5/26 8:45A…Biotech stocks weak Royalty issues with XENCOR! Developing story. Red screen in healthcare biopharma stocks.
3/5/26…2:25P EST..RISK off even healthcare stocks. Uncertainty due to WAR, TRADE, and TRUMP makes it hard to call trends. SMID biotechs cannot rally with IWM and IWO down over 2%. Energy sector finds buyers: XLE,COP, CVX, XOM.
Some TECH stocks countertrend rally after hitting lows: CRM, IGV, IBM.
Large Cap Biopharmaceuticals: A Core Position for Your Portfolio Offers Value plus Innovation
- Leaders % 2026 YTD are: AZN, AMGN, GILD, MRK, BMY. Also Novartis (NVS) Roche ADR (RHHBY).
- Leaders over one year %: MRK,GILD, AZN,AMGN, ,LLY, REGN.
- Laggards in buying range: : PFE, VRTX, ABBV…
Some Key Points:
- Large Cap Biopharma continues to outperform S&P 500 over one year-17% vs 20% worse case.
- Biotech ETFS outperform: up 21-29%; but Fidelity Biotech Fund (FBIOX) still leads up 33%.
- Assumes industry conflicts with the Administration on pricing has abated.
- Several lagging stocks have made nice gains: BMY MRK REGN.
- Pfizer still has good value with a yield of 6+%.
- Momentum is a good trading tool and remains robust.
- Oncology is strong on innovation with next generation diagnostics (MRD)
- Healthcare (XLV) performance led by these stocks whereas MedTech is a laggard.
- International stocks have done well: AZN, NVS ,RHHBY.
- M&A potential in 2026 brings stronger pipelines.
LONG: ABBV, BMY, LLY, GILD, REGN, VRTX.;FBIOX and PPH
| Analyst | p | PRICE | PRICE | 52 wk | ||||||||||||||
| Top Biopharmas | TICKER | PICK | TECH | Fwd/PE | Summ | 2022 | 11/23 | 7/12/25 | 1/4/26 | 2/27/28 | 1 yr % | YTD | div % | RSI | high | |||
| Abbvie | ABBV | B | F | 14.34 | 1.85 | 161.64 | 138.59 | 192.45 | 229.31 | 232.08 | 13.2 | 3.29 | 2.9 | 58.4 | 244.8 | |||
| Amgen | AMGN | H/B | U | 16.64 | 2.24 | 275 | 303 | 292.27 | 327.64 | 388 | 26.86 | 18.53 | 2.49 | 67.16 | 253 | nh | ||
| Astra Zeneca | AZN | H/B | U | 18 | 1.65 | 68 | 63.17 | 71.13 | 91.57 | 208.5 | 38 | 12.66 | 1.53 | 63.43 | 212.7 | nh | ||
| Bristol Myers Sq | BMY | B | U | 10.2 | 2.44 | 71.05 | 50.61 | 59 | 55.05 | 62.37 | 6.07 | 15.63 | 4.04 | 54 | 66.97 | |||
| Eli Lilly | LLY | B | F | 25.23 | 1.62 | 447.71 | 597.71 | 793.01 | 1080.4 | 1052 | 16.22 | -2.11 | 0.59 | 52.39 | 1199 | |||
| Gilead Science | GILD | H/B | U | 15.46 | 1.75 | 85.39 | 75.92 | 109.64 | 123.4 | 148.95 | 33 | 21.35 | 2.2 | 56.66 | 157 | nh | ||
| Merck | MRK | H/B | U | 12.77 | 1.97 | 110.95 | 103 | 106.45 | 91.45 | 123.82 | 36.7 | 17.63 | 2.75 | 64.99 | 125.1 | n/h | ||
| Pfizer | PFE | B | U | 9.66 | 2.66 | 51.24 | 29.48 | 25.18 | 25.87 | 27.65 | 5.94 | 11.04 | 6.22 | 60 | 27.94 | |||
| Regeneron | REGN | F | U | 14.84 | 1.69 | 725 | 798 | 567.74 | 776.3 | 781.67 | 11.23 | 1.27 | 0.48 | 44.56 | 793 | |||
| Vertex | VRTX | H/B | U | 22.45 | 1.72 | 289 | 373.65 | 468.85 | 452.13 | 496.83 | 4.71 | 9.59 | 0 | 61.9 | 519 | |||
| Van Eck ETF | PPH | B | U | 103.72 | 111.7 | 20.87 | 8.27 | 1.72 | 62.76 | 112.58 | LLY,NVS,MRK, NVO | |||||||
| iShares | IBB | B | F | 169 | 175.37 | 29.44 | 3.91 | 0.22 | 54.38 | 174.4 |
VRTX,GILD, AMGN REGN
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