Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Price Down 2.1% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Pfizer shares fell 2.1% on Monday, trading as low as $25.48 after closing at $26.18, with volume below average during the session.
• Recent pipeline news was positive, including a global oncology partnership with Innovent Biologics worth up to $10.5 billion and encouraging Phase 3 data for BRAFTOVI and LORBRENA in cancer treatments.
• Despite the news flow, investor sentiment remains cautious: analysts rate Pfizer a Hold on average, and the stock has underperformed broader healthcare peers while staying below prior highs.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) shares fell 2.1% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $25.48 and last traded at $25.6180. 34,959,832 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 16% from the average session volume of 41,525,152 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.18.

Pfizer News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer announced a global oncology partnership with Innovent Biologics worth up to $10.5 billion, expanding its pipeline with 12 early-stage cancer programs and reinforcing its push into next-generation cancer therapies.
• Positive Sentiment: New Phase 3 BREAKWATER data showed Pfizer’s BRAFTOVI regimen nearly doubled median progression-free survival in previously untreated BRAF V600E metastatic colorectal cancer, strengthening the commercial outlook for the drug.
• Positive Sentiment: Seven-year follow-up from the Phase 3 CROWN trial showed sustained protection from LORBRENA against disease progression and brain metastases in ALK-positive advanced lung cancer, supporting the durability of Pfizer’s oncology franchise.
• Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer also announced that CEO Albert Bourla will speak at the Goldman Sachs Global Healthcare Conference on June 8, which could provide investors with updates on strategy but is not a direct business catalyst.
• Neutral Sentiment: Additional articles discussed Pfizer as a potential value stock and as a possible defensive holding if markets become volatile, but these pieces were opinion-based rather than company-specific news.
• Negative Sentiment: Longer-term commentary noted that Pfizer has underperformed many healthcare peers and remains well below prior highs, keeping some investors cautious despite the recent pipeline progress.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms recently issued reports on PFE. UBS Group reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $27.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. CICC Research began coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, April 16th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $33.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, April 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an "underperform" rating and issued a $25.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $28.82.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $146.01 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.56 and a beta of 0.34. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $26.77 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 5th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.72 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $14.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $13.84 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 11.83% and a return on equity of 19.44%. The firm's revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.92 EPS. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.99 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 12th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 8th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 8th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.7%. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 131.30%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pfizer

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PFE. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $1,830,986,000. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of Pfizer by 19.2% during the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 89,113,604 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $2,218,929,000 after buying an additional 14,342,946 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Pfizer by 38.9% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 48,514,971 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,208,023,000 after purchasing an additional 13,581,757 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. increased its position in Pfizer by 47.8% in the third quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 25,070,148 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $638,787,000 after purchasing an additional 8,108,887 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its position in Pfizer by 577.5% in the fourth quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 8,786,084 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $218,817,000 after purchasing an additional 7,489,189 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the company's stock.

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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