Pfizer Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:PFE)

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Stock investors purchased 1,246,831 call options on the company. This represents an increase of 584% compared to the average volume of 182,174 call options.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Pfizer by 3.7% during the 3rd quarter. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC now owns 9,197 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $305,000 after purchasing an additional 325 shares during the period. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. grew its position in Pfizer by 0.5% during the third quarter. Confluence Wealth Services Inc. now owns 65,053 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $2,158,000 after buying an additional 342 shares during the period. Carr Financial Group Corp increased its holdings in Pfizer by 3.3% in the third quarter. Carr Financial Group Corp now owns 11,012 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $344,000 after buying an additional 355 shares in the last quarter. Advisor OS LLC lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. Advisor OS LLC now owns 35,202 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,013,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares during the period. Finally, Lafayette Investments Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Lafayette Investments Inc. now owns 17,470 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $579,000 after acquiring an additional 368 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the company's stock.

Pfizer Stock Performance

NYSE PFE traded up $0.50 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $28.28. The company's stock had a trading volume of 39,037,887 shares, compared to its average volume of 43,541,762. Pfizer has a twelve month low of $25.20 and a twelve month high of $40.37. The firm has a market cap of $160.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -471.17, a P/E/G ratio of 1.17 and a beta of 0.63. The business's fifty day moving average price is $26.92 and its 200-day moving average price is $28.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.91.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.26. Pfizer had a positive return on equity of 8.58% and a negative net margin of 0.56%. The firm had revenue of $14.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $13.87 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.23 EPS. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 19.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Pfizer will post 2.39 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 14th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 10th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, May 9th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.94%. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio is currently -2,799.53%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently weighed in on PFE. BMO Capital Markets reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $36.00 target price (up from $33.00) on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, May 2nd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on Pfizer from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Guggenheim started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Friday, February 23rd. They issued a "buy" rating and a $36.00 price target for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, April 15th. Finally, Argus lowered Pfizer from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 22nd. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $36.00.

Pfizer Company Profile

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.