Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Down 1.5% - What's Next?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report)'s share price was down 1.5% on Thursday . The company traded as low as $23.89 and last traded at $24.04. Approximately 14,716,641 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 64% from the average daily volume of 40,783,120 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.41.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

PFE has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Citigroup reiterated a "neutral" rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Hsbc Global Res raised Pfizer to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Pfizer in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $24.00 target price for the company. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Tuesday, March 18th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Pfizer from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and three have given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $29.17.

Pfizer Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $137.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.16, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $24.34 and its 200-day simple moving average is $25.75.

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

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 9th will be paid a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 7.11%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 9th. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 124.64%.

Insider Activity

In related 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 cost of $25.65 per share, with a total value of $499,072.05. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now directly owns 27,707 shares of the company's stock, valued at $710,684.55. This trade represents a 235.84 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.06% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Rialto Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Clarity Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Gould Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Pfizer by 97.2% in the fourth quarter. Gould Capital LLC now owns 1,000 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 493 shares during the period. Finally, Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC bought a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company's stock.

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.