Eli Lilly (LLY) a Top Stock Split Candidate in 2026

Rumors persist that U.S. pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly (LLY) will split its stock in the New Year.

LLY stock has been red hot as the company takes a commanding lead in the global market for weight-loss drugs. So far in 2025, Eli Lilly’s share price has risen 40% to trade at $1,071.64 per share. Analysts say the current share price is a barrier to entry for many retail investors and makes a stock split likely in 2026.

While stock splits don’t change the fundamentals of a company, they do lower the share price and make it more affordable for individual investors. For this reason, stocks often receive a boost after they undertake a split. Companies that have split their stocks in recent years include Nvidia (NVDA) and Apple (AAPL).

Eli Lilly’s Stock Split History

For its part, Eli Lilly hasn’t split its stock in nearly 30 years. The last time Eli Lilly executed a stock split was in October 1997, when it underwent a 2-for-1 division. Each stockholder received one additional share for every one they held while the trading price was cut in half.

Eli Lilly also undertook 2-for-1 stock splits in 1995, 1989 and 1986. The company has been publicly traded since 1952. Despite its rapid growth in recent years, fueled by its popular weight-loss drugs, Eli Lilly has not announced a stock split even as its shares trade above $1,000 each.

A growing number of analysts say that is likely to change in 2026 as the company launches a weight-loss pill that is expected to boost sales by billions of dollars and lead to further gains in LLY stock.

Is LLY Stock a Buy?

The stock of Eli Lilly has a consensus Strong Buy rating among 21 Wall Street analysts. That rating is based on 19 Buy and two Hold recommendations issued in the last three months. The average LLY price target of $1,135.32 implies 5.94% upside from current levels.

Read more analyst ratings on LLY stock