Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Up 1.4% - Time to Buy?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) rose 1.4% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $24.88 and last traded at $24.82. Approximately 11,339,543 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 72% from the average daily volume of 40,960,856 shares. The stock had previously closed at $24.48.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PFE has been the subject of several recent research reports. Citigroup reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Pfizer in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $24.00 price target for the company. UBS Group increased their price objective on Pfizer from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded shares of Pfizer to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 10th. Finally, Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, March 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $29.17.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The company's fifty day moving average is $23.01 and its 200 day moving average is $24.97. The company has a market cap of $140.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a current ratio of 1.00, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63.

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

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 9th will be given a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.94%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 9th. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio is presently 124.64%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pfizer

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Lipe & Dalton increased its holdings in Pfizer by 17.7% during the fourth quarter. Lipe & Dalton now owns 2,659 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $71,000 after buying an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Beam Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its position in Pfizer by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. Beam Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 27,444 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $728,000 after acquiring an additional 401 shares in the last quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC now owns 114,358 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $3,034,000 after acquiring an additional 409 shares during the last quarter. Donaldson Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Donaldson Capital Management LLC now owns 35,694 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $947,000 after purchasing an additional 410 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Noesis Capital Mangement Corp increased its holdings in Pfizer by 2.6% during the 4th quarter. Noesis Capital Mangement Corp now owns 16,357 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $434,000 after purchasing an additional 413 shares during the period. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.