In light of this, below is a list of the top 10 S&P 500 healthcare holdings arranged according to their growth factor grade.

The list is topped by Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), with a growth grade of A. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) and Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) follow in the rankings with grades of D+ and D, respectively.

Many of the remaining holdings, including Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO), Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK), AbbVie Inc. (ABBV), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), carry lower growth grades of D-. The list concludes with Amgen Inc. (AMGN) and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH), both receiving growth grades of F.

The growth factor grade is a quantitative assessment used in stock analysis to evaluate a company’s growth prospects and expansion trajectory. This metric systematically analyzes multiple growth-related indicators to determine how effectively a company is scaling its business operations.

Growth factor grades are typically expressed on a letter scale (A+ through F), where higher grades indicate stronger growth characteristics relative to sector peers. An A+ grade represents exceptional growth potential, while lower grades suggest more moderate expansion or potential headwinds.

Here is the list:

1. Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), Growth grade: A
2. Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG), Growth grade: D+
3. Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD), Growth grade: D
4. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO), Growth grade: D-
5. Abbott Laboratories (ABT), Growth grade: D-
6. Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK), Growth grade: D-
7. AbbVie Inc. (ABBV), Growth grade: D-
8. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Growth grade: D-
9. Amgen Inc. (AMGN), Growth grade: F
10. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH), Growth grade: F

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Lilly tested compounded products and found “significant levels of an impurity” that results from a chemical reaction between the vitamin and tirzepatide, the active ingredient in the drugmaker’s blockbuster weight-loss drug Zepbound.

“People receiving tirzepatide-B12 products from compounders, telehealth companies, medspas, or anyone else should be aware that they may be using a potentially dangerous product with unknown risks,” the drugmaker said, citing possible toxicity and immune reactions. The company urged the FDA to recall all compounded tirzepatide products combined with untested additives.

Lilly (LLY) also warned that some compounders are mixing tirzepatide with other substances, including glycine, pyridoxine, niacinamide, and carnitine, in attempts to circumvent restrictions. The company said these additives have no proven clinical benefit for patients taking tirzepatide and could introduce additional safety risks.

Like its rival Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly (LLY) is facing pressure from cheaper copycat versions of its obesity and diabetes injections that bypass the strict regulatory approval process required for branded or generic drugs.

These compounded medications were initially permitted in the U.S. to address supply shortages during the early surge in demand for weight-loss injections. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has since declared the shortage resolved, meaning the lower-cost compounded versions are no longer allowed.

The FDA also recently said it plans to take decisive steps to restrict GLP-1 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) intended for use in non-FDA-approved compounded drugs that are being mass-marketed by companies, including Hims & Hers (HIMS) and other compounding pharmacies, as similar alternatives to FDA-approved drugs.

LLY shares were down -0.18% premarket, while HIMS soared +6.4% and NVO -0.3%.

Hims & Hers (HIMS) has been on the rise after a deal with Novo Nordisk (NVO) to offer Novo’s GLP-1 weight loss drugs and discontinue marketing its compounded GLP-1 products.

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In a statement on the Chinese social media site WeChat, the Indiana-based drugmaker said that a major component of the investment is building the local production capacity for its pipeline, including orforglipron.

The company added that it filed a marketing application for the once-daily GLP-1 drug with the National Medical Products Administration late last year.

Concurrently, Lilly (LLY) announced a collaboration with Beijing-based contract research and manufacturing firm Pharmaron to invest $200M to enhance its technological capabilities.

Orforglipron, a competitor to Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) recently launched oral weight loss therapy, the Wegovy pill, is currently undergoing FDA review in the U.S. and is on track for a potential approval in Q2 2026.

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Backed by decades of experience in the PR field, including four CCO roles, Beiser has also served at companies including Kaiser Permanente, Hilton Worldwide (HLT), and, most recently, Lilly (LLY), Hims & Hers (HIMS) CEO Andrew Dudum said in an X post on Tuesday.

“She’s been working with me and our executive leaders now for just a few weeks, but it feels like she’s been part of our team for a decade,” he added.

After joining the company last month as chief communications officer, Beiser will directly report to Dudum, Bloomberg reported.

Beiser said that HIMS is a firm where “collaboration and experimentation is part of everyone’s DNA.” “That’s the kind of environment where I believe change can happen.”

The announcement comes as Hims & Hers (HIMS), a major operator in the market for compounded versions of weight loss drugs, shifts its sales strategy to focus on brand-name obesity drugs following a partnership with Novo Nordisk (NVO).

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the new coverage model known as Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth (BALANCE) in December to lower the costs of GLP-1 drugs.

Under the voluntary program, the CMS will negotiate directly with manufacturers of GLP-1 drugs such as Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) so that most beneficiaries in participating Medicare programs will pay as little as $50 for a monthly supply of GLP-1s.

In a statement on Monday, Lilly (LLY) said that “while the majority of Medicare plan options will honor the $50 out-of-pocket cap, cost sharing will vary for beneficiaries in a small number of basic Medicare Part D plans.”

“We will be actively educating patients and their physicians about plan options and smoothing programs that can help patients access medications at the lowest possible out-of-pocket costs,” the company said.

The BALANCE Model is set to take effect for Medicaid as early as May 2026 and for Medicare Part D in January 2027.

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The companies are set to announce the deal as early as Monday, according to the person who sought anonymity, as the information is not yet public.

A spokesperson for the Danish drugmaker told Bloomberg, “We are always in conversation with companies that can help improve patient access to FDA-approved medicines for people living with chronic diseases. These talks happen on an ongoing basis.” HIMS was not available for comments outside regular business hours.

A similar deal between the companies fell apart in June after Hims (HIMS) refused to discontinue the sale of low-cost compounded versions of Novo’s (NVO) obesity therapy semaglutide, even as the GLP-1 was no longer in shortage in the U.S.

Most recently, the telehealth firm was forced to withdraw its plans to sell compounded versions of Novo’s (NVO) newly launched oral obesity therapy, the Wegovy pill, after its market rollout drew regulatory scrutiny.

Novo (NVO) later filed a lawsuit accusing the company of violating its rights to a key U.S. patent related to semaglutide.

Novo (NVO) ADRs added ~2% in the post-market after the report, while Hims (HIMS) climbed 40%. Eli Lilly (LLY), whose oral weight loss therapy, orforglipron, is currently undergoing FDA review, traded flat.

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Employers participating in the platform will connect with more than fifteen independent program administrators, including Teladoc (TDOC), GoodRx (GDRX), and a network of dispensing pharmacies such as HealthDyne and CenterWell.

Through this platform, the Indiana-based drugmaker plans to sell its popular GLP-1 medicine, Zepbound, in a single-patient delivery device called KwikPen to network pharmacies at a discounted price of $449 for all doses.

The choice of pharmacy and program administrator will determine the final cost to employers, and out-of-pocket expenses to employees will differ depending on dispensing and service fees charged by program administrators and employers’ cost-share model.

“By enabling coverage outside traditional benefit designs, we lower barriers to treatment and give employers greater control over how they support employee access to obesity care,” said Kevin Hern, Senior Vice President, Lilly Employer.

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While the South San Francisco, California-based biotech reaffirmed its full-year outlook issued in January, its topline projection of about $275M – $290M indicated a ~4% YoY drop at the midpoint compared to the $294.3M in total revenue it recorded last year.

While the company expects its net product sales to reach roughly $255M – $265M with an ~11% YoY rise at the midpoint, its projection for contract revenue at $20M – $25M implies a ~64% YoY decline at the midpoint.

In 2025, Rigel (RIGL) added $62.3M in contract revenues from collaborations, primarily due to a $40.0M non-cash revenue attributed to the cost share liability from Lilly (LLY) related to the development and commercialization of rheumatoid arthritis therapy, ocadusertib.

However, RIGL’s Q4 2025 results of $13.54 of GAAP earnings per share on $69.8M of revenue exceeded Street forecasts by $12.31 and $1.1M, respectively, as the company recorded $245.9M of non-cash deferred income tax benefit during the quarter.

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Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) leads the bearish list with a 36.90% short interest, the telehealth leader is facing intense skepticism regarding its long-term margins and the sustainability of its compounded GLP-1 offerings. At the same time, Acadia Healthcare (ACHC) is the second-most shorted stock in the sector at 35.19%.

In contrast, some healthcare giants like Eli Lilly (LLY) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) have very low short interest at 0.71% and 0.86%, respectively. They are joined by industry leaders Bausch + Lomb Corporation (BLCO), Medline (MDLN), and Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO), all of which maintain short interest levels well below 1%, because they are considered much safer bets during uncertain times.

Healthcare stocks are outperforming the broader market so far this year. While the S&P 500 has struggled with a 0.42% decline year-to-date, the Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Fund (XLV)—which represents 12.12% of the benchmark index—has climbed 1.25%.

Here are the top 5 most shorted mid- to mega-cap healthcare stocks (as a % of shares outstanding) as of February 28:

Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) – Health Care Services sector, short interest 36.90%

Acadia Healthcare Company (ACHC) – Health Care Facilities sector, short interest 35.19%

TransMedics Group (TMDX) – Health Care Equipment sector, short interest 23.98%

CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) – Biotechnology sector, short interest 23.59%

Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) – Biotechnology sector, short interest 22.64%

And here are the least shorted mid- to mega-cap healthcare stocks (as a % of shares outstanding) as of February 28:

Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) – Pharmaceuticals sector, short interest 0.71%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) – Pharmaceuticals sector, short interest 0.86%

Bausch + Lomb Corporation (BLCO) – Health Care Supplies sector, short interest 0.89%

Medline (MDLN) – Health Care Supplies sector, short interest 0.90%

Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) – Life Sciences Tools and Services sector, short interest 0.96%

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In a press release, the agency said that it sent 30 such letters to telehealth firms for using “false and misleading claims” to sell compounded GLP-1 products on their platforms.

Hims & Hers (HIMS) was forced to pull a compounded version of Novo’s (NVO) newly launched oral GLP-1 therapy, the Wegovy pill, last month after the product, offered at a sharp discount to the brand-name version, drew intense regulatory scrutiny.

“It’s a new era of enforcement. We are paying close attention to misleading claims being made by telehealth and pharma companies across all media platforms—and taking swift action,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.

The warnings are part of a crackdown the FDA launched in September, when it sent nearly 100 letters to companies making deceptive claims in direct-to-consumer advertisements of pharmaceutical products.

Hims & Hers (HIMS) was also among the recipients of the first set of warning letters as the FDA targeted its marketing practices related to compounded versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient of Wegovy.

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