Eli Lilly endowment tops $100 billion

Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) made history on Monday by becoming the first pharmaceutical company to reach a $1 trillion market valuation.

The remarkable achievement means that its largest shareholder, the Lilly Endowment, now holds assets worth approximately $102 billion as of Tuesday afternoon trading in New York. The foundation owns 92.5 million shares according to its latest Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

The private foundation, which operates independently from the drugmaker, has seen its value soar due to the weight-loss drug boom. By the end of 2024, the Lilly Endowment had already become the largest foundation in the United States with $79.9 billion in assets, slightly surpassing the Gates Foundation’s $77.2 billion.

The Lilly Endowment directs its funding primarily toward three areas: religion, education, and community development, with a particular focus on initiatives in Indiana.