Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Down 1.2% – Time to Sell?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) shares dropped 1.2% during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $26.18 and last traded at $26.29. Approximately 31,685,855 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 25% from the average session volume of 42,408,969 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.62.

Pfizer News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer’s non-COVID portfolio is gaining momentum, with new product launches, acquisitions and late-stage pipeline programs intended to support growth from 2029 onward. Non-COVID products reportedly grew 5%, helping management raise its 2026 outlook while targeting approximately $9.7 billion in savings. Will Pfizer’s Non-COVID Portfolio Drive Its Next Phase of Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer’s pipeline received a boost from positive topline Phase 3 results for LITFULO in adults and adolescents with nonsegmental vitiligo. Successful development could broaden the drug’s commercial opportunity and support the company’s post-COVID product mix. Pfizer Agreed To A $44 Million Chantix Settlement
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group raised its 2026 Pfizer earnings estimate to $2.95 per share from $2.92, broadly in line with the approximately $2.97 analyst consensus. Pfizer Earnings Estimate Update
• Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer’s acquisitions and pipeline investments are reshaping its healthcare strategy and could improve its long-term growth profile, although the benefits are expected to emerge gradually rather than immediately. Acquisitions Reshape Pfizer’s Healthcare Strategy
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and investors remain concerned that part of Pfizer’s improved 2026 outlook depends heavily on a product approaching patent expiration, raising questions about the durability of earnings and the company’s ability to offset future generic competition. Pfizer Raised Its 2026 Guidance
• Negative Sentiment: Pfizer agreed to pay $44 million to settle class-action claims related to Chantix safety disclosures. While modest relative to Pfizer’s size, the settlement adds to investor scrutiny of legal liabilities. Separately, Arbutus reported filing international patent lawsuits against Pfizer and BioNTech tied to lipid nanoparticle technology, creating another potential legal overhang. Pfizer Chantix Settlement

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PFE has been the subject of several recent research reports. UBS Group reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. HSBC cut shares of Pfizer from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price objective for the company from $32.00 to $28.00 in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.28.

Pfizer Stock Down 1.2%

The company has a market capitalization of $149.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.59 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $25.07 and a 200-day simple moving average of $26.18.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.40 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.63% and a net margin of 6.80%.The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.78 earnings per share. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

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 given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.5%. Pfizer’s payout ratio is 226.32%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PFE. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the second quarter valued at about $3,210,000. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co boosted its position in Pfizer by 3.3% during the second quarter. Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co now owns 1,055,663 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,420,000 after purchasing an additional 33,600 shares during the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its position in Pfizer by 4.3% during the second quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 247,206 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $5,953,000 after purchasing an additional 10,088 shares during the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 59.3% in the second quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 742,927 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $17,890,000 after purchasing an additional 276,649 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Manhattan West Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 5.9% in the second quarter. Manhattan West Asset Management LLC now owns 113,888 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,742,000 after purchasing an additional 6,369 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors 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.