Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

New York Stock Exchange
Bullish +75

Bristol Myers (BMY) Reports Q1 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say

πŸ“ˆ Bristol Myers Squibb reported Q1 adjusted earnings of $1.58 per share, beating the analyst average expectation of $1.42.

πŸ’° Revenue came in at $11.49 billion, surpassing expectations of approximately $10.9 billion and driving shares up 4%.

πŸ’‰ Sales of Eliquis reached $4.14 billion, a 16% increase year-over-year with new prescription share exceeding 75%.

πŸš€ Growth portfolio sales rose 12% to $6.23 billion, accounting for more than half of the company's total revenue.

πŸ›‘οΈ Newer cancer medicines like Breyanzi and Camzyos helped offset steep declines in older products facing generic competition.

⚠️ Analysts noted that Opdivo sales fell 5% to $2.15 billion, missing estimates due to wholesalers reducing inventory levels.

πŸ”¬ The company added another $163 million in revenue from Opdivo Qvantig, the subcutaneously injected version launched last year.

πŸ’‘ Bristol Myers reaffirmed its 2026 outlook for revenue between $46.0 billion and $47.5 billion with earnings trending toward the higher end.

πŸ€– The CEO announced AI use in R&D will speed up drug molecule identification by 50% and cut clinical development times by 30%.

πŸ’Έ Ongoing cost-cutting efforts have delivered $1 billion of planned savings, with a target to hit the full $2 billion by year-end.

πŸ“‰ Analyst Trung Huynh highlighted mixed performance in growth drivers like Opdivo and Reblozyl as key considerations for future quarters.

πŸ“… Analysts believe 2026 catalysts such as next-generation cancer drug approvals and late-stage study results will be critical.

Bullish Signals
  • Bristol Myers Squibb reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.58 per share, significantly beating analyst expectations of $1.42.
  • Revenue reached $11.49 billion, surpassing the estimated target of approximately $10.9 billion.
  • Shares rose 4% following the strong quarterly performance driven by better-than-expected growth in key medicines.
  • Eliquis sales grew 16% year-over-year to $4.14 billion, with new prescription share now surpassing 75% of the market.
  • Growth from newer cancer medicines and the expansion of Opdivo Qvantig helped offset declines in older products facing generic competition.
  • Sales from the growth portfolio increased 12% to $6.23 billion, accounting for more than half of total revenue.
  • The company reaffirmed its 2026 revenue guidance of $46.0 billion to $47.5 billion with results trending toward the higher end.
  • CEO Chris Boerner highlighted that AI usage will accelerate drug molecule identification by about 50% and reduce clinical development cycle times by 30%.
  • Cost-cutting efforts have delivered $1 billion in savings, with the full $2 billion target on track to be met by the end of 2026.
  • Ongoing investment in newer medicines and dividend growth is supported by current cost-saving initiatives.
Risk Factors
  • Revenue growth from older products is being offset by steep declines in key legacy medicines due to generic competition, such as Revlimid.
  • Sales of the original formulation of Opdivo dropped 5% to $2.15 billion, missing analyst estimates of $2.33 billion due to wholesalers reducing inventory levels.
  • Finance chief David Elkins expressed uncertainty about whether inventory levels will normalize over the balance of the year regarding Opdivo sales.
  • Analyst Trung Huynh warned that the beat was outweighed by mixed performance in some growth drivers, specifically noting declines for cancer drug Opdivo and anemia treatment Reblozyl.
  • The company's reliance on newer medicines has increased, with the growth portfolio accounting for more than half of total revenue at $6.23 billion.
  • Future stock performance may depend less on 2026 quarters and more on late-stage study results from milvexian and Cobenfy in H2 2026, introducing execution risk.
Full Analysis
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) reported first-quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations, driven by strong growth in key pharmaceuticals like Eliquis and newer cancer therapies. The company posted adjusted earnings of $1.58 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus of $1.42, while revenue reached $11.49 billion against a forecast of approximately $10.9 billion. Shares rose 4% following the announcement. Eliquis, sold in partnership with Pfizer, contributed $4.14 billion to quarterly sales, reflecting a 16% year-over-year increase and maintaining over 75% of the new prescription share, indicating sustained demand. Growth from newer medicines, including cell therapies like Breyanzi and Camzyos, helped offset declines in older products such as Revlimid, which has faced generic competition. The revenue from this growth portfolio increased 12% to $6.23 billion, representing more than half of total revenue. Despite the overall beat, some analysts noted mixed performance in specific areas. RBC Capital Markets analyst Trung Huynh pointed out that while the quarterly result was positive, the long-term outlook relies more on catalysts expected in the second half of 2026, such as approvals for next-generation cancer drugs and late-stage study results for milvexian and Cobenfy. Additionally, Opdivo sales dropped 5% to $2.15 billion, missing estimates of $2.33 billion, which finance chief David Elkins attributed to wholesalers reducing inventory levels, a situation the company is monitoring closely. The company also recorded $163 million in sales for its recently launched subcutaneous version, Opdivo Qvantig. Looking forward, Bristol Myers Squibb reaffirmed its full-year 2026 outlook with projected revenue between $46.0 billion and $47.5 billion and adjusted earnings per share ranging from $6.05 to $6.35, expecting results to trend toward the higher end of these ranges. CEO Chris Boerner highlighted strategic initiatives, including expanding artificial intelligence usage in research and development to identify potential drug molecules 50% faster and reduce clinical development cycle times by 30%. Ongoing cost-cutting efforts have already yielded $1 billion from a planned $2 billion savings target by the end of 2025, with the full amount expected by the end of next year. These savings are intended to support investment in new medicines and dividend growth.