As the Q4 earnings season comes to a close, it’s time to take stock of this quarter’s best and worst performers in the branded pharmaceuticals industry, including Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and its peers.

Looking ahead, the branded pharmaceutical industry is positioned for tailwinds from advancements in precision medicine, increasing adoption of AI to enhance drug development efficiency, and growing global demand for treatments addressing chronic and rare diseases. However, headwinds include heightened regulatory scrutiny, pricing pressures from governments and insurers, and the looming patent cliffs for key blockbuster drugs. Patent cliffs bring about competition from generics, forcing branded pharmaceutical companies back to the drawing board to find the next big thing.

The 10 branded pharmaceuticals stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.7%.

While some branded pharmaceuticals stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 3% since the latest earnings results.

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE)

With roots dating back to 1849 when two German immigrants opened a fine chemicals business in Brooklyn, Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells medicines and vaccines for a wide range of diseases and conditions.

Pfizer reported revenues of $17.56 billion, down 1.2% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 5.5%. Despite the top-line beat, it was still a mixed quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ organic revenue estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 2.8% since reporting and currently trades at $27.40.

Is now the time to buy Pfizer? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q4: Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY)

Founded in 1876 by a Civil War veteran and pharmacist frustrated with the poor quality of medicines, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) discovers, develops, and manufactures pharmaceutical products for conditions including diabetes, obesity, cancer, immunological disorders, and neurological diseases.

Eli Lilly reported revenues of $19.29 billion, up 42.6% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 7.4%. The business had an exceptional quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates and full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations.

Eli Lilly delivered the fastest revenue growth among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 5.2% since reporting. It currently trades at $951.77.

Is now the time to buy Eli Lilly? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: Corcept (NASDAQ: CORT)

Focusing on the powerful stress hormone that affects everything from metabolism to immune function, Corcept Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CORT) develops and markets medications that modulate cortisol to treat endocrine disorders, cancer, and neurological diseases.

Corcept reported revenues of $202.1 million, up 11.1% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 18.5%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.

Interestingly, the stock is up 16.8% since the results and currently trades at $42.62.

Read our full analysis of Corcept’s results here.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY)

With roots dating back to 1887 and a transformative merger in 1989 that gave the company its current name, Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) discovers, develops, and markets prescription medications for serious diseases including cancer, blood disorders, immunological conditions, and cardiovascular diseases.

Bristol-Myers Squibb reported revenues of $12.5 billion, up 1.3% year on year. This number topped analysts’ expectations by 4.8%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter as it also recorded full-year revenue guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations and an impressive beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.

The stock is up 2.5% since reporting and currently trades at $59.05.

Read our full, actionable report on Bristol-Myers Squibb here, it’s free.

Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: COLL)

Pioneering abuse-deterrent technology in a field plagued by addiction concerns, Collegium Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: COLL) develops and markets specialty medications for treating moderate to severe pain, including abuse-deterrent opioid formulations.

Collegium Pharmaceutical reported revenues of $205.4 million, up 12.9% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations. Taking a step back, it was a mixed quarter as it also logged full-year revenue guidance beating analysts’ expectations but a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

Collegium Pharmaceutical had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is down 26.9% since reporting and currently trades at $33.44.

Read our full, actionable report on Collegium Pharmaceutical here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

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