Eli Lilly (LLY 1.19%) is one of the globe's biggest drug companies. It's a major player in providing diabetes treatments and is often included in dividend investor's portfolios.
Big drug companies such as Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk (NVO 1.47%), and AstraZeneca (AZN -0.26%) offer investors predictable dividend-friendly revenue regardless of the economy's whims and whispers. But investors are correct to wonder if Lilly's dividend can be sustained in light of billions in at-risk revenue tied to patent expiration on two of the company's top selling drugs, Cymbalta and Evista.
In the following slideshow you'll see whether I think Lilly's dividend is safe and gain insight into how Lilly's dividend payout matches up with industry peers Novo Nordisk and AstraZeneca.