QRG Capital Management Inc. Raises Holdings in Pfizer Inc. $PFE

Key Points

• QRG Capital Management raised its stake in Pfizer by 7.2%, adding 47,299 shares to hold 706,377 shares worth about $17.59 million at the end of the quarter.
• Pfizer beat Q1 estimates (EPS $0.66 vs. $0.57; revenue $17.56B) and won FDA approval for VEPPANU (vepdegestrant), a potential oncology pipeline and commercial catalyst that has drawn bullish analyst commentary.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.43 (annualized $1.72) for a 6.5% yield

QRG Capital Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Free Report) by 7.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 706,377 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock after acquiring an additional 47,299 shares during the period. QRG Capital Management Inc.'s holdings in Pfizer were worth $17,589,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in Pfizer by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 541,346,182 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $13,479,520,000 after buying an additional 7,031,162 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in Pfizer by 0.9% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 299,087,408 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $7,620,747,000 after buying an additional 2,786,098 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp boosted its position in Pfizer by 1.4% in the third quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 64,019,807 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,631,225,000 after buying an additional 869,175 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC boosted its position in Pfizer by 1.9% in the third quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 49,288,054 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,255,860,000 after buying an additional 897,786 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Legal & General Group Plc boosted its position in Pfizer by 8.6% in the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 41,741,186 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,063,565,000 after buying an additional 3,296,415 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the company's stock.

Pfizer News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FDA approval: Pfizer and Arvinas won FDA approval for VEPPANU (vepdegestrant), a first-of-its-kind therapy for ESR1‑mutated advanced breast cancer — a commercial and pipeline catalyst that can expand oncology revenue and investor expectations. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support: Guggenheim reaffirmed a Buy and a $36 price target ahead of Q1, highlighting upcoming pipeline catalysts and raising expectations for revenue and guidance. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts bullish on pipeline: Q1 previews emphasize a robust non‑COVID portfolio and investor focus on obesity and oncology programs — key drivers that could lift guidance and sentiment if management commentary is constructive. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Relative positioning vs. peers: Coverage argues Pfizer is a post‑COVID winner versus Moderna thanks to diversification and a push into obesity drugs — narrative supports defensive, income‑oriented investor interest. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend/income focus: Several pieces highlight Pfizer’s attractive yield and option strategies for income generation ahead of earnings — this sustains interest from income investors but raises sensitivity to dividend safety and payout guidance. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 earnings watch: Preview and “what to look for” pieces flag EPS/revenue estimates, obesity program updates and guidance commentary as the immediate drivers; results/guidance will likely dictate short‑term direction. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro headwind: Major indexes dipped amid rising oil and geopolitical tension — broader market weakness can pressure cyclicals and large caps like Pfizer even if company‑specific news is positive. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Media skepticism on yield/valuation: Commentators including Jim Cramer warned that Pfizer’s yield isn’t compelling enough relative to bonds and questioned upside, which can deter income/value buyers. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation/long‑term skepticism: Opinion pieces label the stock “priced like dead money,” underscoring investor concern about limited capital‑gains potential despite high yield — a headwind for growth‑oriented flows. Read More.

Pfizer Trading Down 0.1%

Pfizer stock opened at $26.31 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Pfizer Inc. has a 12 month low of $21.97 and a 12 month high of $28.75. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $27.17 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $26.11. The firm has a market cap of $149.61 billion, a PE ratio of 19.35 and a beta of 0.35.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.66 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.57 by $0.09. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.48% and a net margin of 12.42%.The business had revenue of $17.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.93 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.63 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 8th. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio is presently 126.47%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PFE has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Argus upgraded Pfizer from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $35.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Barclays initiated coverage on Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. They issued an "underweight" rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. Daiwa Securities Group lowered Pfizer from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $27.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, February 12th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "underperform" rating and issued a $25.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on Pfizer from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday, April 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have issued a Buy rating, twelve have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $28.74.

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.

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