Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTProsper Junior Bakiny, The Motley FoolSat, August 1, 2026 at 10:37 PM GMT+2 5 min readEli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) made history last year when it became the first healthcare stock to hit a $1 trillion market cap. It hasn't performed that well since, due to a combination of factors, including questions about its valuation. However, the company is riding a powerful tailwind that could allow it to become a $2 trillion corporation in five years, nearly doubling from its current levels. Here is why the stock is a buy.Image source: The Motley Fool.Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »Over the past three years, Eli Lilly's revenue growth has been more comparable to that of a smaller tech corporation than to that of a major pharmaceutical giant.LLY Revenue (Quarterly YoY Growth) data by YChartsThe company's top-line growth rates will probably decline over the next few years. Eli Lilly will face more competition in the GLP-1 market, where it generates the lion's share of its revenue. New launches will give patients more options and put pressure on the company's pricing power. So, we shouldn't expect Eli Lilly's year-over-year revenue growth to average nearly 40% over the next five years, but it should remain much higher than the average for pharmaceutical giants.For context, revenue growth in the high teens for drugmakers of this size is already considered very strong, and Eli Lilly is likely to remain above that level. The company's tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss, is currently the leader in these fast-growing markets. Some analysts estimate it could hit $62 billion in annual sales by 2030, which would become the highest peak ever seen in the industry. If that sounds too optimistic, remember that tirzepatide is already the world's best-selling compound, although it has been on the market for just about four years.It generated well over $30 billion in sales last year. It should also add important label expansions over the medium term, some of which could meaningfully move the needle. Perhaps the most promising is in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, a condition that affects millions of patients and where there is a high unmet need. A label expansion here could add billions in peak annual revenue for tirzepatide. Several other new indications would be important too.Further, Eli Lilly's portfolio also includes Foundayo, an oral GLP-1 it launched earlier this year. While it is, so far, only approved for weight loss (where it is performing well and attracting mostly new patients), it could also earn approval for many new indications, including in diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and more. Then we can look at Eli Lilly's pipeline. The company boasts several promising candidates.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info