Large Cap Biopharmaceuticals: Performance Metrics-January 2026: Growth plus Dividends…Update-4…Biotech is still bullish…..

Jan 6, 2026 | 2025 Rayno Biopharmaceuticals Portfolio, Biopharmaceuticals

Rayno BIObeat Day One : We will summarize at the end of the week. Today there was a nice recovery in Precision Oncology stocks and sequencing.

1/16/26….3p EST Traders are taking their profits after JPM26 and January effect but we still have earnngs and guidance for 2026. We cant say that JPM26 was a negative event but maybe the strong momentum we saw early in January has ebbed. Here are several SMID caps to watch:

  • Positive momentum : ABOS, AXSM, BBIO, CBIO,COGT,  DNTH, GH, ILMN,  PSNL,TEM, TWST.
  • Negative momentum: CRMD, XNCR,
  • XBI at $124.6 flat for week up 2%, for month; IBB at $170 down 1.26% for week and up same for month.IWM up 2.2% for 5 days and up 7.2% for YTD .ARKG was up 4 % this week.

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1/14/26…Day 3  Bullish tape continues as XBI moves toward $130. No time to summarize but many of our SMID trading picks are doing well this week and today was a green screen day. Here are some trending BIG movers today: COGT up 7.11%, DNTH 3.19%, LGND up 4.11%, PACB up 10.8%, PTGX up. 4.76%, QDEL up 3.1%, XNCR up 3.65%.

Update-3  1/12/26,,.First day of JPMorgan Healthcare Conference….Slow Day perhaps eclipsed by Trump political announcements and focus on other sectors like precious metals. IBB and XBI both flat down <1%, but ARKG was up over 4%. XLV flat at $157.38. Leading sectors- 5 days: Consumer discretionary, Materials, Industrials, Energy. Many SMID caps from our trading list did well today!

  • Large cap biopharma generally positive: RHHBY up 3.5%, JNJ up 2.61%, LLY up 1.64%,GILD up 1.21%; REGN down 3.58%, MRK down 1.21%, PFE down 0.8%.,others flattish tracking IBB.
  • SMID movers UP:  ADPT up 15.86%, TWST up 7.7%,GRAL up 5,8%, PSNL 5.8%, TEM 4.51%, CRNX 3.94%, RYTM 3.83%, CYTK up 3.41%,  ILMN up 3.18,%,CRSP 2.7!%, DNTH up 2.44 ,.XNCR  2%,
  • ABBV flat at $220/sh on deal with Trump to cut prices and increase R&D.Access to improve affordability.!!

Update-2 1/11/26...The JPMorgan  Healthcare Meeting starts  tomorrow with the IBB at $172.39 and the XBI at $124.50.Here are several SMID stocks to watch from our trading list: ADPT, APLS, BBIO, CRNX, COGT, DNTH, GH, TEM, TXG, PTGX, QDEL. But we will update the SMID list after the Conference,

Update-1 Jan 8 2026: Sell-off in SMID CAP biotechs with IBB and XBI down over 2%. But IJR and IWM are up over 1%. Big hits on ADPT, NTRA and PSNL on revenue updates.  Large caps mixed but weak. MRK in talks to buy Revoution Medicines.  ABBV takes a $1.3B charge cuts Q4 outlook.

DId a big banker/ analyst putout A SELL in sector? Caution on frothy Precision Oncology stocks.  Took nice profits on ILMN calls .

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Large Cap Biopharmaceuticals -Core Positions for Any Healthcare Portfolio

  • The IBB Large cap weighted Biotech ETF beats the S&P 500 (SPY) with a 25% Return.
  • A portfolio with 3-4 with our Large Cap picks did better: ABBV ,GILD,  LLY. Or one fund FBIOX up about 28% YTD.
  • Provide growth plus dividends; many stocks rallied in Q4 after pricing “settlement” with Trump Admin.

Many investors avoided these reliable growth stocks because of all the attention given to technology stocks and the momentum of AI. Also there  were concerns about price controls from the Trump Administration with the goal of reducing healthcare costs even though drugs as a percent of total costs is about only 11%.We  have provided coverage of the Large Caps consistently throughout 2025 so be sure to review older posts. We will provide updates the week after the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference Jan.12-15.

Here are additional comments:

  1. ABBV has been our top pick because of performance and pipeline focus on immunology and neuroscience.
  2. Pfizer underperformed but we have bought small positions for its dividend >6%.
  3. Some of these stocks can be quite volatile so track your holdings for news:  AZN is a top performers up 39%.
  4. Eli Lilly has always been expensive from a PE aspect but has led the way for explosive growth with NOVO on blockbuster weight- loss drugs.
  5. Bristol-Myers Squibb was a new value pick recently in the high 40s with a Div of 4.66%
  6. Top Performers for 2025 were: AZN at 39%, LLY at 39%, GILD 34%, ABBV  30%, AMGN 26%.
  7. Vertex receive an upgrade today by Wolfe and in DEC by Morgan-Stanley in December: was up 4% today to $468.
  8. You can get comparable gains in biotech with the IBB and with a fund Fidelity Select Biotech Fund (FBIOX).
  9. We also own two Large Cap Swiss biopharmas: Novartis (NVS) and Roche (RHHBY)

LONG: ABBV, BMY, LLY, GILD, PFE, REGN, VRTX.

Analyst p PRICE PRICE 52 wk
Top Biopharmas TICKER PICK TECH Fwd/PE Summ 2022 11/23 7/12/25 1/4/26 1 yr % 1 mo.% div % RSI high
Abbvie ABBV B U 16 1.7 161.64 138.59 192.45 229.31 30 2.2 2.84 53.89 244.8
Amgen AMGN H U 14.9 2.3 275 303 292.27 327.64 26.4 3.17 2.91 50.16 346.4
Astra Zeneca AZN H/B U 17.8 1.59 68 63.17 71.13 91.57 39.69 1.55 1.71 54.27 94
Bristol Myers Sq BMY B U 8.93 2.48 71.05 50.61 46.86 53.5 -4.64 10.8 4.66 59 63.33
Eli Lilly LLY B U 33.24 1.53 447.71 597.71 793.01 1080.4 39.6 3.27 0.56 64 1199
Gilead Science GILD H/B U 14.23 1.73 85.39 75.92 109.64 123.4 33.6 5.32 2.68 59.41 124.86
Merck MRK H/B U 12.72 1.96 110.95 103 106.45 91.45 8.21 5.36 3.08 67.5 107.6
Pfizer PFE H/B F 8.42 2.48 51.24 29.48 25.18 25.87 -4.69 -0.12 6.76 49 27.69
Regeneron REGN B U 17.49 1.83 725 798 567.74 776.3 10.5 4.62 0.49 62.46 793
Vertex VRTX H/B U 22.23 1.89 289 373.65 468.85 452.13 13.22 4.38 0 53.5 519
Van Eck ETF PPH B U 103.72 20.56 3.31 1.77 62.76 99.51 LLY,NVS,MRK, NVO
iShares IBB B F 169 24.77 10 0.18 50.83 174.4
VRTX,GILD, AMGN REGN

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