Why Shares Of Gilead Sciences Are Trading Higher

Shares of Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) were trading higher by more than two percent in Friday's pre-market session.

The move is being attributed to a possible report by analysts at RBC stating that the company could launch a buyback program of $10 billion or more.

Gilead Sciences' $138 billion market cap and $7.7 billion in cash and investments (along with $9.4 billion in debt) could support the company tapping into the debt market to undertake such an initiative.

Gilead Sciences previously spent $1.7 billion on buybacks during the third quarter and the company's Chief Financial Officer Robin Washington stated during the post-earnings conference call that buybacks is the preferred method of choice for returning value to shareholders.

Shares were last up 1.7 percent at $92.86 in the pre-market session.