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⚠ Buying at the Peak AgainLow threat

Gilead Sciences (GILD) — threat to the moat

Gilead spent about $21 billion on buybacks at its 2015-2016 peak; its shares are again above that level.

Gilead's buyback record has one large mistake in it. At the 2015-2016 peak it spent about $21 billion1 on its own shares, when hepatitis C revenue was about to collapse; by the end of 2016 the market value had fallen from $145.83 billion to $94.34 billion2.

Gilead year-end market value ($bn)145.8201594.3201673.02020115.12024152.32025179.5Oct 2026stockanalysis.com market-cap history and statistics, 2 October 2026
The 2015 high was not passed until 2025.

The shares are again near a high. Market value rose 30.13% in a year to $179.47 billion34, above the 2015 level for the first time. With a $6.0 billion authorisation outstanding5, Gilead has the means to repeat the pattern.

The difference now is cash. With $3,179 million of cash and marketable securities at 30 June 20266, a large buyback would be funded with debt.

The recent buybacks have been made at reasonable prices. The average price paid in the second quarter of 2026 was $131.837, below the current $144.748 and within a 52-week range of $108.46 to $157.299. The risk is not the last quarter's purchases but a large programme run at the top of the range with borrowed money.

Quarterly repurchases are where a repeat would show first. If they exceed $1.5 billion in any quarter while net debt is above $20 billion, Gilead will be buying high with borrowed money.

References
  1. Moat Explorer calcAt the 2015-2016 peak it spent about $21 billion on its own shares, when hepatitis C revenue was about to collapse; by the end of 2016 the market value had fallen from $145.83 billion to $94.34 billion.
    Moat Explorer calculation from Gilead Sciences reported figures ($ millions unless stated). HIV and Biktarvy: HIV share of total revenues 20,752 / 29,443 = 70.5% (2025); of product sales 20,752 / 28,915 = 71.8%; 16,438 / 22,449 = 73.2% (2019); 16,315 / 27,305 = 59.8% (2021); 18,175 / 27,116 = 67.0% (2023); 19,612 / 28,754 = 68.2% (2024). Biktarvy share of total revenues 14,334 / 29,443 = 48.7%; of HIV 14,334 / 20,752 = 69.1%; Biktarvy US 11,467 / 14,334 = 80.0%; Biktarvy growth 2025 14,334 / 13,423 - 1 = +6.8%; 2019-2025 14,334 / 4,738 = 3.0 times, (3.03)^(1/6) - 1 = about 20% a year. Other HIV 20,752 - 14,334 = 6,418; HIV other than Biktarvy, Descovy, Genvoya and Odefsey 20,752 - 14,334 - 2,758 - 1,498 - 1,167 = 995; Veklury plus Other plus royalties 911 + 799 + 527 = 2,237. Genvoya 1,498 / 3,931 - 1 = -61.9%. HIV growth 2019-2025 20,752 / 16,438 - 1 = +26.2%, about 4.0% a year; 2021 16,315 / 16,938 - 1 = -3.7%; 2023 18,175 / 17,194 - 1 = +5.7%; 2024 19,612 / 18,175 - 1 = +7.9%; 2025 20,752 / 19,612 - 1 = +5.8%, about 6%; H1 2026 10,723 / 9,675 - 1 = +10.8%; Q2 2026 5,693 / 5,088 - 1 = +11.9%. Descovy 2025 2,758 / 2,113 - 1 = +30.5%, about 31%; Q2 2026 967 / 653 - 1 = +48.1%; Descovy over Yeztugo Q2 2026 967 / 232 = 4.2, about four times. Yeztugo Q1 2026 = H1 397 - Q2 232 = 165; Yeztugo over Biktarvy H1 2026 397 / 7,133 = 5.6%, about 6%. US HIV 16,904 / 20,752 = 81.5%, about 81%; US product sales 20,816 / 28,915 = 72.0%; Europe 4,617 / 28,915 = 16.0%. Gilead HIV growth Q2 2026 +11.9% less ViiV +11% = about +1 point. Exclusivity: Descovy + Vemlidy + Odefsey 2,758 + 1,070 + 1,167 = 4,995, about $5.0bn, / 29,443 = 17.0% of revenue; Descovy + Vemlidy 2,758 + 1,070 = 3,828; Vemlidy share of Liver Disease 1,070 / 3,217 = 33.3%, a third; 2025 sales by primary US patent window: Tecartus 344 + Genvoya 1,498 = 1,842 (2027-2029); Trodelvy 1,397 + Descovy 2,758 + Vemlidy 1,070 + Odefsey 1,167 + sofosbuvir/velpatasvir 1,272 = 7,664 (2028-2033); Biktarvy 14,334 (2036). Hepatitis C 2015 Harvoni 13,864 + Sovaldi 5,276 = 19,140, / product sales 32,151 = 59.5%, about 60%; product sales 2018 21,677 / 32,151 - 1 = -32.6%; Liver Disease 2025 3,217 / 19,140 = 16.8%, about 17%, a sixth. Liver Disease 2019 HCV 2,936 + HBV/HDV 742 = 3,678; 2020 2,064 + 860 = 2,924. Price: gross product sales 2025 28,915 + 19,953 = 48,868, about $48.9bn; 2024 28,610 + 17,776 = 46,386; net product sales growth 28,915 / 28,610 - 1 = +1.1%, about 1%; gross-to-net deductions 19,953 / 17,776 - 1 = +12.2%; accrued rebates 4,337 / 3,892 - 1 = +11.4%, about 11%; rebates and chargebacks over net product sales 17.5bn / 28,915 = 60.5%, about 60% (2025); 15.5bn / 28,610 = 54.2% (2024). H1 2026 capital expenditure = operating cash flow 6,117 - free cash flow 5,859 = 258. Three wholesalers 29% + 24% + 21% = 74% of gross product sales (2025); 29% + 23% + 21% = 73% (2024). Hepatitis C share of revenue 1,272 / 29,443 = 4.3%, about 4%; sofosbuvir/velpatasvir 2025 1,272 / 1,596 - 1 = -20.3%, a fifth; Mavyret 1,317 / 1,311 - 1 = +0.5%. Cash and capital: free cash flow over revenue 9,456 / 29,443 = 32.1%, about 32%; dividends paid over free cash flow 4,003 / 9,456 = 42.3%, about 42%; free cash flow left after dividends and buybacks 9,456 - 4,003 - 1,922 = 3,531. Dividend per share (3.16 / 1.29)^(1/10) - 1 = 9.4% a year; increases 1.84 / 1.29 - 1 = +42.6% (2016); 2.72 / 2.52 - 1 = +7.9% (2020); 3.00 / 2.92 - 1 = +2.7% (2023); 3.08 / 3.00 - 1 = +2.7% (2024); 3.16 / 3.08 - 1 = +2.6% (2025); quarterly 0.82 / 0.79 - 1 = +3.8% (2026). Buybacks 2015-2016 10,002 + 11,001 = 21,003, about $21bn; year-end market value 2016 over 2015 94.34 / 145.83 - 1 = -35.3%, about a third. Net debt 31 December 2025 = total debt 24,937 - cash and marketable debt securities 10,605 = 14,332; 30 June 2026 = 26,246 - 3,179 = 23,067; net debt over 2025 free cash flow 23,067 / 9,456 = 2.4 years. Interest over operating income 1,024 / 10,022 = 10.2%, about a tenth (2025); 977 / 1,662 = 58.8%, more than half (2024). Gilead stockholders equity 11,829 / 22,703 - 1 = -47.9%, about 48%; return on equity 2025 8,510 / ((19,330 + 22,703) / 2 = 21,017) = 40.5%. Acquisitions: Trodelvy IPR&D impairments 2.7bn (2022) + 2.4bn + 1.8bn (2024) + 1.75bn (2026) = 8.65bn of 15.8bn recorded = 54.7%; Trodelvy Q1 2026 = H1 859 - Q2 457 = 402; Kite plus Immunomedics 11,155 + 20,600 = 31,755, over $31bn; cell therapy 2025 1,839 / 1,973 - 1 = -6.8%; Arcellx IPR&D 7.0bn / cell therapy 2025 1.839bn = 3.8 years. Acquired IPR&D 2019 5,051 + 2020 5,856 + 2021 939 + 2022 944 + 2023 1,155 + 2024 4,663 + 2025 1,024 + H1 2026 11,290 = 30,922, about $30.9bn; acquired IPR&D 2019-2025 alone = 30,922 - 11,290 = 19,632; Biktarvy 2025 US 11,467 + outside US 1,676 + 1,190 = 14,334, all other revenues 29,443 - 14,334 = 15,109 (shown 15.1); net income 2019-2025 5,386 + 123 + 6,225 + 4,592 + 5,665 + 480 + 8,510 = 30,981, about $31.0bn. Revenue lines: Liver Disease share 3,217 / 29,443 = 10.9%, about 11%; Oncology share 3,236 / 29,443 = 11.0%; Oncology 2020 cell therapy 607 + Trodelvy 49 = 656; Oncology 2025 3,236 / 3,289 - 1 = -1.6%, about 2%; 2019-2025 3,236 / 456 = 7.1 times, about sevenfold. Veklury 2021 5,565 / 27,305 = 20.4%, about a fifth; 2025 911 / 29,443 = 3.1%; product sales 2021-2025 28,915 / 27,008 - 1 = +7.1%; excluding Veklury (28,915 - 911 = 28,004) / (27,008 - 5,565 = 21,443) - 1 = +30.6%, about 31%. Other product sales plus royalty, contract and other revenues: 1,547 + 330 = 1,877 (2019); 1,026 + 334 = 1,360; 1,027 + 297 = 1,324; 946 + 299 = 1,245; 859 + 182 = 1,041; 889 + 144 = 1,033; 799 + 527 = 1,326 (2025). Bands sum to total revenues: 2025 20,752 + 3,217 + 3,236 + 911 + 1,326 = 29,442 against reported 29,443 (rounding); 2019 16,438 + 3,678 + 456 + 0 + 1,877 = 22,449. Non-HIV revenue 29,443 - 20,752 = 8,691, / 29,443 = 29.5%. Valuation and earnings: trailing twelve months to June 2026 revenue 29,443 - H1 2025 13,749 + H1 2026 14,763 = 30,457; net income 8,510 - 3,275 + (-8,475) = -3,240; diluted EPS 6.78 - 2.61 + (-6.82) = -2.65. Year-end market value over net income and revenue: 2015 145.83bn / 18,108 = 8.05, / 32,639 = 4.47; 2016 94.34 / 13,501 = 6.99, / 30,390 = 3.10; 2017 93.58 / 4,628 = 20.2, / 26,107 = 3.58; 2018 80.92 / 5,455 = 14.8, / 22,127 = 3.66; 2019 82.21 / 5,386 = 15.3, / 22,449 = 3.66; 2020 73.03 / 123 = 594, / 24,689 = 2.96; 2021 91.08 / 6,225 = 14.6, / 27,305 = 3.34; 2022 107.68 / 4,592 = 23.4, / 27,281 = 3.95; 2023 100.94 / 5,665 = 17.8, / 27,116 = 3.72; 2024 115.12 / 480 = 240, / 28,754 = 4.00; 2025 152.28 / 8,510 = 17.9, / 29,443 = 5.17; October 2026 179.47bn / 30,457 = 5.89. 2026 product sales guidance midpoints (29,600 + 30,000) / 2 = 29,800 (February); (30,000 + 30,400) / 2 = 30,200 (May); (30,100 + 30,400) / 2 = 30,250 (August). Non-GAAP EPS guidance midpoint (-0.65 + -0.30) / 2 = -0.475, plus 9.08 of acquired IPR&D and tax per share = 8.61. Additional: dividends paid 3,918 / 3,809 - 1 = +2.9% (2024), 4,003 / 3,918 - 1 = +2.2% (2025); gross product sales 48,868 / 46,386 - 1 = +5.4%, about 5%; Epclusa 1,966 / 3,510 - 1 = -44.0%; US HIV over US product sales 16,904 / 20,816 = 81.2%; European HIV over European product sales 2,392 / 4,617 = 51.8%; analyst target 158.65 / 144.74 - 1 = +9.6%, about 10%; market value 2025 over 2024 152.28 / 115.12 - 1 = +32.3%, a third. AmBisome 509 / 533 - 1 = -4.5%. Biktarvy over HIV: 4,738 / 16,438 = 28.8% (2019); 8,624 / 16,315 = 52.9% (2021); 11,850 / 18,175 = 65.2% (2023). Descovy + Vemlidy + Odefsey: 1,500 + 488 + 1,655 = 3,643 (2019); 1,700 + 814 + 1,568 = 4,082 (2021); 1,985 + 862 + 1,350 = 4,197 (2023); 2,113 + 959 + 1,288 = 4,360 (2024). Apretude Q1 2026 = H1 260 - Q2 140 = 120 (GBP M). Livdelzi Q1 2026 = H1 300 - Q2 167 = 133 - cash, capital returns, debt, acquisitions and valuation. — FY2015-Q2 2026 · publ. October 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in Gilead Sciences Forms 10-K, 10-Q and results releases, SEC XBRL, stockanalysis.com market values, and the GSK and AbbVie filings cited; each operand is stated in the source line.
  2. Third-party estimateAt the 2015-2016 peak it spent about $21 billion on its own shares, when hepatitis C revenue was about to collapse; by the end of 2016 the market value had fallen from $145.83 billion to $94.34 billion.
    stockanalysis.com, Gilead Sciences market-cap history: year-end values 145.83 (2015), 94.34, 93.58, 80.92, 82.21, 73.03, 91.08, 107.68, 100.94, 115.12, 152.28 (2025), $ billions; up 30.13% in one year. — 2015-2026 · publ. 2 October 2026 · source ↗
  3. Third-party estimateMarket value rose 30.13% in a year to $179.47 billion, above the 2015 level for the first time.
    stockanalysis.com, Gilead Sciences market-cap history: year-end values 145.83 (2015), 94.34, 93.58, 80.92, 82.21, 73.03, 91.08, 107.68, 100.94, 115.12, 152.28 (2025), $ billions; up 30.13% in one year. — 2015-2026 · publ. 2 October 2026 · source ↗
  4. Third-party estimateMarket value rose 30.13% in a year to $179.47 billion, above the 2015 level for the first time.
    stockanalysis.com, Gilead Sciences statistics, 2 October 2026: market value $179.47bn, enterprise value $200.84bn, 1.24 billion shares, no trailing P/E (loss), forward P/E 15.86, P/S 5.89, P/B 15.18, trailing free cash flow $12.94bn, institutions 91.13%. — October 2026 · publ. 2 October 2026 · source ↗
  5. ReportedWith a $6.0 billion authorisation outstanding, Gilead has the means to repeat the pattern.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-K for 2025 - Item 1 business and the revenue-by-product table: products, programs, employees and manufacturing. — FY2025 · publ. 24 February 2026 · source ↗
  6. ReportedWith $3,179 million of cash and marketable securities at 30 June 2026, a large buyback would be funded with debt.
    Gilead Sciences second-quarter 2026 results release, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1 - revenue by product, income statement, cash flow, balance sheet, pipeline updates and 2026 guidance - income statement, EPS, cash flow, balance sheet and 2026 guidance. — Q2 2026 · publ. 4 August 2026 · source ↗
  7. ReportedThe average price paid in the second quarter of 2026 was $131.83, below the current $144.74 and within a 52-week range of $108.46 to $157.29.
    Gilead Sciences Form 10-Q for the quarter ended 30 June 2026 - acquired IPR&D for Arcellx, Tubulis and Ouro, the $1.75 billion Trodelvy impairment, debt, receivables and the December 2025 agreement with the US administration. — Q2 2026 · publ. 6 August 2026 · source ↗
  8. Third-party estimateThe average price paid in the second quarter of 2026 was $131.83, below the current $144.74 and within a 52-week range of $108.46 to $157.29.
    stockanalysis.com, Gilead Sciences quote page, close of 2 October 2026: $144.74, dividend $3.28 (2.27%), 52-week range $108.46-$157.29, beta 0.33, 27 analysts with an average target of $158.65. — October 2026 · publ. 2 October 2026 · source ↗
  9. Third-party estimateThe average price paid in the second quarter of 2026 was $131.83, below the current $144.74 and within a 52-week range of $108.46 to $157.29.
    stockanalysis.com, Gilead Sciences quote page, close of 2 October 2026: $144.74, dividend $3.28 (2.27%), 52-week range $108.46-$157.29, beta 0.33, 27 analysts with an average target of $158.65. — October 2026 · publ. 2 October 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated October 4, 2026