Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Down 0.1% - Here's What Happened

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report)'s stock price dropped 0.1% during mid-day trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $22.34 and last traded at $22.51. Approximately 10,162,021 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 75% from the average daily volume of 40,377,323 shares. The stock had previously closed at $22.54.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Tuesday, April 22nd. They set a "neutral" rating and a $24.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday, March 27th. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Tuesday, March 18th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "neutral" rating and set a $25.00 target price (down from $32.00) on shares of Pfizer in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $29.17.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $24.08 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $25.61. The company has a market capitalization of $127.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.91, a PEG ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.73.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.67 by $0.25. The business had revenue of $13.72 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $14.43 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 12.62% and a return on equity of 19.47%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.82 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Investors of record on Friday, May 9th will be given a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 9th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 7.67%. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 124.64%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Ronald E. Blaylock purchased 19,457 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 13th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $25.65 per share, with a total value of $499,072.05. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 27,707 shares of the company's stock, valued at $710,684.55. The trade was a 235.84 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Pfizer

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. PSI Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 1.4% in the fourth quarter. PSI Advisors LLC now owns 27,823 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $738,000 after acquiring an additional 385 shares in the last quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC now owns 38,706 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,027,000 after acquiring an additional 391 shares during the last quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. D Orazio & Associates Inc. now owns 7,549 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $200,000 after purchasing an additional 391 shares during the period. Lipe & Dalton increased its position in shares of Pfizer by 17.7% in the fourth quarter. Lipe & Dalton now owns 2,659 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $71,000 after acquiring an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Beam Wealth Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in Pfizer by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Beam Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 27,444 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $728,000 after purchasing an additional 401 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company's stock.

About Pfizer

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.

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