Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Down 1.2% – Here’s Why

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) traded down 1.2% during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as low as $23.78 and last traded at $24.0770. Approximately 57,636,159 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 35% from the average session volume of 42,574,074 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.37.

Key Stories Impacting Pfizer

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer’s GLP-1 candidate, ecnoglutide, passed a preliminary review for possible inclusion in China’s basic medical insurance catalogue, which could improve commercial prospects in a major market if it clears further hurdles. Pfizer, Innovent GLP-1 drugs pass China insurance preliminary review
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are also focused on Pfizer’s pipeline and dealmaking, with commentary highlighting potential growth from GLP-1 obesity treatments and broader healthcare pipeline expansion. Why Pfizer Could Prove to Be an Underrated GLP-1 Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Some market commentary continues to frame Pfizer as an attractive value and dividend stock, arguing the shares could appeal to income investors despite recent weakness tied to falling COVID franchise sales. This 7% Yielding Healthcare Powerhouse Belongs in Retirees’ Portfolios
• Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer also announced that its real-world COVID-19 vaccine study has completed data collection and is nearing a data reveal, which could provide a fresh read on vaccine performance but is not yet a direct catalyst. Pfizer’s Real-World COVID-19 Vaccine Study Nears Data Reveal: What Investors Should Watch
• Neutral Sentiment: Several opinion pieces published today argue that Pfizer remains a “powerhouse” and a buyable value stock, but these are commentary pieces rather than new company developments. Wall Street Walked Away From This Powerhouse Stock, But I Am Buying It on Repeat
• Negative Sentiment: Investor concerns persist around shrinking COVID-related revenue, with articles noting sharp declines in Comirnaty and Paxlovid sales, a reminder that Pfizer is still working to replace lost pandemic-era revenue. This 7% Yielding Healthcare Powerhouse Belongs in Retirees’ Portfolios

Analysts Set New Price Targets

PFE has been the subject of several analyst reports. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Pfizer from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and set a $26.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. Guggenheim boosted their price target on Pfizer from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. HSBC increased their price target on Pfizer from $29.00 to $32.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday, June 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.82.

Pfizer Price Performance

The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $25.88 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $26.28. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $137.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.38 and a beta of 0.34.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 5th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $14.45 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.84 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.44% and a net margin of 11.83%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.92 EPS. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is presently 131.30%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Pfizer during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,830,986,000. Morgan Stanley increased its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 19.2% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 89,113,604 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,218,929,000 after buying an additional 14,342,946 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 38.9% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 48,514,971 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,208,023,000 after acquiring an additional 13,581,757 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 47.8% during the 3rd quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 25,070,148 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $638,787,000 after acquiring an additional 8,108,887 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Janus Henderson Group PLC grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 577.5% in the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 8,786,084 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $218,817,000 after acquiring an additional 7,489,189 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

About Pfizer

Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes a broad range of medicines and vaccines for human health. Its activities span discovery research, clinical development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and global commercial distribution across multiple therapeutic areas.

Pfizer’s portfolio and pipeline cover oncology, immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, rare diseases, hospital acute care and anti-infectives, along with a substantial vaccine business.