Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) Sets New 1-Year High Following Analyst Upgrade

Shares of Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Monday after Weiss Ratings upgraded the stock from a hold (c) rating to a hold (c+) rating. The stock traded as high as $67.10 and last traded at $67.10, with a volume of 785009 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $65.31.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Bank of America decreased their target price on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb from $67.00 to $66.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 10th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Thursday, May 28th. BMO Capital Markets reissued a “market perform” rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a report on Monday, July 27th. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $70.00 target price (up from $65.00) on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Friday. Finally, Raymond James Financial reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $63.24.

Bristol Myers Squibb News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Bristol Myers Squibb this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Reported merger talks with AstraZeneca are the main catalyst. Because BMY’s market value is substantially smaller than AstraZeneca’s, investors may anticipate a premium or other favorable deal terms if negotiations progress. Reuters article on AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb merger talks
• Positive Sentiment: The deal speculation follows Bristol Myers Squibb’s strong quarterly performance: earnings of $2.04 per share exceeded the $1.60 consensus estimate, while revenue of $12.97 billion topped the $11.74 billion forecast. Management also issued fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $6.75-$7.00. Bristol Myers earnings and guidance article
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains a secondary tailwind, with Truist reiterating a Buy rating and one report citing a price-target increase to $73. Truist reiterates Buy rating on Bristol Myers Squibb
• Neutral Sentiment: The potential combination would be one of the largest pharmaceutical transactions ever, but reports describe discussions—not a definitive agreement. Regulatory review, financing, valuation, and integration risks could still prevent or materially change the deal. Analysts have also questioned the strategic rationale. MarketWatch analysis of AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb talks

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Bristol Myers Squibb

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Swiss RE Ltd. purchased a new position in Bristol Myers Squibb during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb in the second quarter worth $25,000. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb by 73.5% during the 4th quarter. Physician Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 477 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 202 shares during the period. Bayban bought a new stake in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, EQ Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Bristol Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at $32,000. 76.41% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Bristol Myers Squibb Price Performance

The company has a market cap of $137.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.78, a P/E/G ratio of 0.17 and a beta of 0.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.89, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a current ratio of 1.53. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $58.02 and its two-hundred day moving average is $58.35.

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $2.04 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.60 by $0.44. Bristol Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 66.90% and a net margin of 18.87%.The business had revenue of $12.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.74 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.46 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.7% on a year-over-year basis. Bristol Myers Squibb has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.750-7.000 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Bristol Myers Squibb Company will post 6.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bristol Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 3rd. Investors of record on Thursday, July 2nd will be paid a dividend of $0.63 per share. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 2nd. Bristol Myers Squibb’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 55.51%.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, focused on discovering, developing and delivering medicines for serious diseases. The company’s core activities include research and development, clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of prescription pharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas. BMS concentrates on advancing therapies in oncology, hematology, immunology, cardiovascular disease and specialty areas through both small molecules and biologics.

BMS’s marketed portfolio and late‑stage pipeline reflect a strong emphasis on cancer and immune‑mediated conditions.