Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Jumps 1.6% – Still a Buy?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)’s share price was up 1.6% on Thursday. The company traded as high as $30.18 and last traded at $29.9130. 28,752,573 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 27% from the average session volume of 39,612,625 shares. The stock had previously closed at $29.45.

Pfizer News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer reported that its Phase 3 MagnetisMM-32 trial of ELREXFIO met its primary endpoint in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The result supports another potential growth driver for Pfizer’s oncology portfolio. The FDA also expanded the use of TALZENNA plus XTANDI for certain men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, increasing the commercial opportunity for the combination. Pfizer cancer trial and FDA approval article
• Positive Sentiment: New real-world data from China showed continued momentum for lorlatinib in lung cancer treatment, potentially reinforcing the drug’s adoption and durability outside clinical-trial settings. Lorlatinib China study article
• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer launched a Phase 1 trial for Alzheimer’s candidate PF-08161842, adding a new early-stage asset to its pipeline. Although the program is years from potential commercialization, it gives investors another source of long-term optionality. PF-08161842 Alzheimer’s trial article
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Pfizer’s third-quarter earnings report, scheduled for November 3. Attention will center on whether non-COVID products and pipeline progress can offset continuing declines in pandemic-related revenue. Pfizer Q3 earnings outlook article
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts remain cautious ahead of earnings, while commentary highlights that Pfizer’s nearly 6% dividend yield exceeded free cash flow in the prior year. That raises questions about long-term payout coverage, even though the dividend remains attractive to income-focused investors. Pfizer dividend safety article

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on PFE shares. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. Weiss Ratings upgraded Pfizer from a “hold (c-)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Monday, August 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on shares of Pfizer from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, HSBC increased their price objective on Pfizer from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 10th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $28.65.

Pfizer Trading Up 1.8%

The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $28.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.79. The firm has a market cap of $173.73 billion, a PE ratio of 40.11, a PEG ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.27.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.68 by $0.09. Pfizer had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 19.63%. The firm had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $14.40 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.78 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 6th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 6th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.6%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is 226.32%.

Institutional Trading of Pfizer

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 15.7% during the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 5,482,863 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $132,365,000 after purchasing an additional 745,213 shares during the last quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 10.4% in the second quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 2,462,431 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $59,295,000 after purchasing an additional 232,528 shares during the last quarter. Leuthold Group LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the 2nd quarter worth about $4,887,000. Park National Corp OH increased its stake in Pfizer by 332.1% in the 2nd quarter. Park National Corp OH now owns 242,081 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $5,829,000 after buying an additional 186,053 shares during the period. Finally, 111 Capital bought a new stake in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,706,000. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Company Profile

Pfizer Inc is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines and vaccines. Its research activities span areas including oncology, internal medicine, inflammation and immunology, hospital care, infectious diseases and rare diseases.

The company’s portfolio includes medicines such as Eliquis, Ibrance, Prevnar and Vyndaqel, as well as vaccines including Comirnaty, Abrysvo and Prevnar. Pfizer also develops treatments through internal research, licensing agreements and collaborations with other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, Pfizer has grown into an international healthcare company serving patients and healthcare providers in markets around the world.