Lilly, Novo, and the Pill – Seriously?

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So, Eli Lilly’s stock jumped 39% last year, all because of a couple of drugs that help people lose weight. Thirty-nine percent! It’s… aggressive. And everyone’s acting like this is some unprecedented feat of pharmaceutical brilliance. Like, we’ve never treated obesity before. It’s just… people are buying into this. And then there’s Novo Nordisk. They got to market with a pill first. A pill! You’d think that would be the headline. But no. It’s all about Lilly. It’s… it’s infuriating. And now everyone’s talking about a pill. A pill! Like we don’t have enough things to swallow already. Honestly, it’s just…a lot.

The Pill Predicament

The pharmaceutical industry. It’s a race, isn’t it? A constant scramble for the next blockbuster. And it’s always the same story. Novo gets something out there, Lilly tries to one-up them, and then everyone acts surprised when someone actually innovates. It’s just… predictable. Lilly’s shots were “better received,” they say. Better received by whom? The investors? The marketing department? Because if you ask the people actually taking the shots, I suspect the answer is more nuanced. And now Novo has a pill. A pill! It’s almost… sporting. Like they’re deliberately trying to make things difficult. And Lilly will bring out their own pill. Of course they will. It’s a cycle. A never-ending, profit-driven cycle. And the whole thing is just… exhausting.

And the valuation? Fifty times earnings. Fifty! What are they selling, magic beans? The S&P 500 is at 28. Twenty-eight! It’s… disproportionate. It’s like they’re expecting this weight loss drug to solve all of society’s problems. And if you point this out, everyone looks at you like you’re the crazy one. “It’s a growth stock,” they say. “It’s different.” Different how? It’s still a stock. Subject to the same laws of gravity as every other stock. And it’s being priced like it’s immune. It’s just… irresponsible.

Pfizer: The Underdog (and Honestly, Good for Them)

Pfizer. Now there’s a company that’s been through it. Their internally developed drug didn’t pan out. Happens. But then everyone piles on. “Oh, Pfizer’s struggling.” “Oh, Pfizer’s behind.” Like failure isn’t part of the process. It’s just… insensitive. And the P/E ratio is 15. Fifteen! It’s practically begging for attention. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, we’re undervalued! Please notice us!” And no one does. They’re all too busy obsessing over Lilly. It’s… disheartening. They’re just sitting there, quietly, trying to develop drugs, and everyone ignores them. It’s like they’re invisible.

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But they didn’t just give up. They acquired a company with a promising pipeline and partnered with a Chinese company. They adjusted. Like a sensible company. It’s almost… admirable. They’re not chasing the hype. They’re just… doing their thing. And honestly, good for them. It’s refreshing to see a company that isn’t trying to be the next big thing. They’re just trying to be… a company. And that, in itself, is a radical act. It’s just…nice.

Look, if you want a turnaround story, Pfizer’s your play. It’s relatively cheap. It’s not overpriced. It’s not being hyped. It’s just… there. And that, in a world obsessed with instant gratification, is a valuable thing. And remember, these drugs don’t have infinite patent protection. This whole Lilly bonanza isn’t going to last forever. It’s a finite opportunity. So, maybe, just maybe, it’s worth considering a company that isn’t relying on a single weight loss drug to save the world. It’s just… common sense.

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2026-02-04 19:22