Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: Thank you very much for all your investment advice. Could you please advise me if Eli Lilly & Co is a good investment?

Article Excerpt

Eli Lilly & Co., $35.04, symbol LLY on New York (Shares outstanding: 1.2 billion; Market cap: $40.4 billion; www.lilly.com), develops, makes and markets drugs and animal-health products. The company markets its products in about 135 countries. Its brand names include Cymbalta, Prozac (antidepressant); Axid (anti-ulcer); Kefzol, Ceclor, Lorabid (antibiotics); Zyprexa (schizophrenia); Humatrope (growth hormone); Humulin (insulin); Reopro (angioplasty); and Evista (osteoporosis). For years, we have said that major drug companies are more speculative than most investors realize. They need a continuing flow of successful new products to maintain their earnings. As well, they face increasing litigation and aggressive competition from generics as their drugs come off patent. As well, unlike, say, tech stocks, they face significant regulatory burdens. And unlike other manufacturing stocks, such as makers of autos or consumer electronics, drugmakers do not benefit from customer loyalty. Drug consumers and the regulatory authorities are only interested in the results of tests for safety and effectiveness, compared to the best competing…