How to Buy Gilead Sciences Shares UK – with 0% Commission

Gilead Sciences is a huge pharmaceutical company listed on the NASDAQ exchange. If you’re based in the UK and want to buy Gilead Sciences shares online, the process is simple.

All you need is a good broker that gives you access to American stocks at competitive prices.

In this guide, we show you how to buy Gilead Sciences shares online in the UK in the cheapest, fastest, and safest way.

Step 1: Find a UK Stock Broker to Buy Gilead Sciences Shares

As you likely know, if you want to buy shares online you will first need to find a suitable broker.

In the case of Gilead Sciences, the broker in question must give you access to the NASDAQ exchange – which is based in the US. Not only this, but the platform must offer competitive trading fees and posses a strong regulatory standing.

To help point you in the right direction, below we list a small selection of top-rated stock brokers that allow you to buy Gilead Sciences shares with ease.

1. eToro – Buy Gilead Sciences Shares with 0% Commission

We found that eToro is the best UK broker to buy Gilead Sciences shares for several key reasons. Firstly, the platform is aimed at newbie investors that want to buy and sell shares in a simple and burden-free environment.

There are no bells and whistles or complex jargon at eToro, which means you can easily buy Gilead Sciences shares. eToro also stands out for us because it does not charge any share dealing commissions or annual fees.

This is the case whether you are buying UK shares or foreign stocks like Gilead Sciences. We also like the fact that eToro does not force you to buy full shares. Instead, as long as you meet a $50 minimum, you can invest as much or as little as you like. In total, eToro offers just under 1,800 shares from 17 UK and international exchanges.

You can also buy ETFs and trade heaps of CFD markets. If you are planning to create a long-term investment portfolio, you might be interested in utilizing the eToro CopyPortfolio feature. These are managed portfolios that enable passive investing. There are lots of strategies and industries to choose from, which is great.

In terms of funding your account, eToro supports debit/credit card payments, as well as e-wallets like Paypal and Skrill. Bank transfers are also supported, but this can take a few days to process. Finally, when it comes to safety eToro is licensed by the FCA, CySEC, and ASIC. As a UK resident, you are also protected by the FSCS.

eToro also offers one of the best stock apps on the market, which means you can easily invest in Gilead Sciences shares on your mobile.

Pros

Cons

67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

2. Fineco Bank – Affordable Share Dealing Platform

Fineco Bank is another great stock broker that allows you to buy Gilead Sciences shares with ease. This platform charges a share dealing commission of just $3.95 (about £2.95). You will pay this when you buy Gilead Sciences shares and again when you sell them.

There is also an annual maintenance fee of 0.25%, which is chargeable against the value of your portfolio. On the one hand, this does mean that Fineco Bank is more expensive than our top-rated broker – eToro. However, the platform does stand out for a number of reasons.

For example, the Fineco Bank share library is a lot more extensive than that of eToro. In fact, it offers thousands of shares from dozens of UK and foreign marketplaces. It also offers a more comprehensive fund portfolio – which includes fully-managed strategies.

Fineco Bank requires a minimum deposit of just £100 to get started. You will need to facilitate this through a UK bank transfer, meaning no debit/credit cards or e-wallets. As is to be expected, Fineco is regulated by the FCA, and your funds are protected by the FSCS.

Pros

Cons

Your money is at risk.

Step 2: Research Gilead Sciences Shares

There is a lot of interest in pharmaceutical stocks at present – largely because of the race to find a suitable vaccine for COVID-19.

This means that the risks are somewhat higher at present, as there is a lot of speculation in the market as to which pharmaceutical firms will join the likes of Pfizer and Moderna for regulatory approval.

With this in mind, we would suggest reading through the following research sections so that you have a firm understanding of what a Gilead Sciences investment entails.

What is Gilead Sciences plc?

Launched in 1987, Gilead Sciences is a US-based pharmaceutical company. It specializes primarily in biotechnologies and strives to produce cutting-edge drugs and treatments for a range of viral conditions.

This includes the likes of influenza, hepatitis B and C, and HIV. Additionally, Gilead Sciences is also working on a suitable vaccine for COVID-19.

Gilead Sciences Share Price History & Market Capitalisation

Gilead Sciences is listed on the NASDAQ exchange with a market capitalization of over $71 billion as of late 2020. Due to the size of valuation, the firm is a leading constituent of the S&P 500 index. In terms of its stock price history, we need to go all of the way back to 1992 – which is when Gilead Sciences first went public.

Back then, the shares first traded at $20 each. This price is adjusted to take into account the five stock splits that Gilead Sciences has since initiated. The most recent was in 2013 where the firm enacted a 2-for-1 split.

Nevertheless, the shares performed well for many years, reaching all-time highs in 2015 at $117.Since then, it’s been up and down for Gilead Sciences, especially in recent times. For example, the stocks entered 2020 at a price of $65. The same shares were worth $85 in April of the same year – representing a four-month increase of 30%.

This was largely in anticipation of the firm’s progress towards a COVID-19 vaccine. However, the shares have since cooled off, closing the year at $56 each. This means that year-to-date, the shares are actually down 13%.

Gilead Sciences EPS and P/E Ratio

In terms of key accounting ratios, Gilead Sciences has an earnings-per-share (EPS) of $4.22. This figure is based on the firm’s 2019 financial results. This represents a very slight increase of 1.2% from the prior year.

When it comes to the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, this stands at 59.05 moving into 2021. This is slightly on the high side, meaning Gilead Sciences shares could be overvalued.

Gilead Sciences Shares Dividend Information

Gilead Sciences is a solid dividend stock. It most recent dividend announcement came in December 2020 for the firm’s Q4 payment. This stood at $0.68 per share of common stock. It is notable that there has been no disruption to Gilead Science’s dividend policy this year.

Should I Buy Gilead Sciences Shares?

So now that we have discussed the financials, we need to take a closer look at what the future holds for Gilead Sciences shares.

The key points that you need to consider are elaborated on below:

Veklury

One of the most exciting developments brought forward by Gilead Sciences in recent times is that of its Veklury drug. This is an approved drug authorized in more than 50 countries aimed at treating COVID-19. In just seven months, the drug has so far generated revenues of over $1.7 billion.

However, it must be noted that the drug is not on the same level as those developed by Pfizer and Moderna, insofar that it only improves the recovery time for those with very severe cases of COVID. With this in mind, the drug is arguably somewhat redundant in comparison to the aforementioned vaccines.

Over-Reliance on HIV Drugs

As per the firm’s 2019 financial results, its HIV treatment division contributed over 70% of global sales. This is somewhat problematic, as it illustrates that Gilead Sciences is over-exposed to a single market. On the flip side, the company is currently engaged in over 42 clinical trials.

This covers a variety of treatments that if brought to the mass market, could have a sizable impact on Gilead Sciences’ bottom line. Until then, investors should be concerned that so much of the firm’s revenue stream is provided by one treatment.

Balance Sheet

Pharmaceutical companies live or die on the strength or weakness of their balance. In the case of Gilead Sciences, the firm is in good financial health.

In fact, this includes more than $24 billion of cash-on-hand, meaning additional acquisition attempts are likely to be in the making. In its prior financial year, Gilead Sciences generated more than $9 billion in free cash flows, which again, shows that the firm is in good financial shape.

Stocks at Pre-COVID Levels

When we talk about pre-COVID levels, we typically refer to stocks that have recovered pandemic-related losses. However, in the case of the Gilead Sciences, the opposite has happened.

That is to say, the stocks enjoyed a 30% upside in the first four months of 2020. This was due largely to its Veklury approval. With that said, the hype surrounding Veklury has since wained, not least because it is far inferior to the coronavirus vaccines developed by its industry competitors.

On the flip slide, this does mean that you can now buy Gilead Sciences shares at fair value.

Step 3: Open an Account and Deposit Funds

Once you have performed some research on Gilead Sciences shares it is then time to open an account with your chosen broker.

We would suggest using eToro to complete the investment process, as the FCA broker does not charge any share dealing commissions.

Furthermore, you can buy Gilead Sciences shares in just a few minutes when using a UK debit/credit card or e-wallet.

As is the case with all regulated online brokers, you will first need to open an account with eToro. You can do this by heading over the provider’s website and clicking on the ‘Join Now’ button.

Then, you will be prompted to enter the following information:

• Full name
• Home address
• Date of birth
• National insurance number
• Email address
• UK mobile number
• Username and password

Next, eToro will need to verify your identity to ensure it knows who you are. This can be completed in less than two minutes by uploading a copy of your:

• Passport or driver’s license
• Recently-issued bank account statement or utility bill

Note: You can upload these documents later if you are depositing less than $2,250 (£1,800-ish).

You will, of course, need to make a deposit before you can buy Gilead Sciences shares at eToro. The minimum deposit is just $200 (about £160) and the fee is 0.5%.

You can choose from the following payment methods:

• Debit/credit cards
• Paypal
• Skrill
• Neteller

Your deposit will be credited instantly when using one of the above payment methods. We haven’t listed bank transfer as an option, as this will delay the investment process by a few days.

Step 4: Buy Gilead Sciences Shares

Once you have added some money to your eToro account, you can then buy Gilead Sciences shares. The easiest way of doing this is to search for ‘Gilead Sciences’ and click on the ‘Trade’ button. This will then populate an order box.

Here, you simply need to enter the amount that you want to invest in Gilead Sciences shares to buy. This needs to be at a minimum of $50.

Finally, click on the ‘Open Trade’ button to complete your Gilead Sciences investment at eToro – commission-free.

Gilead Sciences Shares Buy or Sell?

Market sentiment on Gilead Sciences was overly strong towards the start of 2020 – not least because of the excitement surrounding its COVID-19 related Veklury treatment.

However, with other, more effective treatments having since been approved in the US and Europe, the need for Veklury is on the decline.

In turn, Gilead Sciences shares are now worth less than they were at the start of the year. This is actually good news for potential investors, as you can buy Gilead Sciences at a more favorable price. Additionally, the firm is a strong and stable dividend payer, which makes the pharma stock even more attractive.

The Verdict?

As a large-scale US stock listed on the NASDAQ, it makes sense that the process of buying Gilead Sciences shares in the UK is relatively simple. You do, however, need to keep an eye out on what fees your chosen broker charges – not least because you are buying non-UK stocks.

If you’re looking to be pointed in the right direction, eToro allows you to buy Gilead Sciences shares on a commission-free basis. You can open an account with this FCA broker in minutes and instantly deposit funds with a UK debit/credit card or e-wallet.

Simply click the link below to get started!

eToro – Buy Gilead Sciences Shares With Zero Commission

67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

FAQs