Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Price Up 1.9% - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Pfizer shares rose 1.9% to about $26.70 after the company beat quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, while raising its 2026 revenue outlook and cost-savings target.
• Growth in Eliquis and newer products helped offset declining COVID-related sales, while progress on updated COVID boosters and other pipeline programs provided additional support.
• The outlook remains mixed: analysts’ consensus rating is Hold with an average price target of $28.28, as investors weigh Pfizer’s 6.4% dividend yield against patent expirations, weak COVID revenue and uncertainty around its obesity program.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report)'s share price shot up 1.9% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $26.76 and last traded at $26.7030. Approximately 42,345,897 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 0% from the average daily volume of 42,439,617 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.20.

Key Headlines Impacting Pfizer

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q2 earnings and guidance supported the stock. Pfizer reported adjusted EPS of $0.77 versus the $0.68 consensus and revenue of $15.03 billion versus expectations of $14.40 billion. Management also raised its 2026 revenue outlook and increased its cost-savings target to approximately $2.5 billion. Stronger demand for Eliquis and growth from newer products helped offset weaker COVID-related sales. Pfizer beats quarterly profit estimates on strong demand for blood thinner Eliquis
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline and vaccine updates added support. Pfizer and BioNTech advanced a variant-adapted COVID-19 booster into a Phase 4 study and reported progress on a next-generation pediatric booster. Pfizer also completed an early Phase 1 study of PF-07328948, providing additional evidence of ongoing pipeline development beyond its mature products. Pfizer and BioNTech Advance Variant-Adapted COVID-19 Booster in New Phase 4 Study
• Positive Sentiment: Valuation and dividend appeal remain part of the bull case. Some coverage describes PFE as undervalued following the raised outlook, while Pfizer’s high dividend yield continues to attract income-focused investors. Analysts have also highlighted the company’s newer-product growth and expanding R&D pipeline. Pfizer Could Be 12% Undervalued Following Raised 2026 Revenue Guidance
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider-trading activity is drawing attention. Increased insider transactions were reported after PFE’s recent advance, but the available report does not establish whether the activity represents meaningful buying or selling. Monster insider trading alert for Pfizer stock
• Negative Sentiment: COVID and obesity-related uncertainties remain overhangs. Pfizer’s COVID pill revenue reportedly fell sharply, and investors remain concerned about patent expirations and the need for successful pipeline launches. Recent coverage also points to setbacks or uncertainty surrounding the company’s obesity program. RBC Capital Markets maintained a Hold rating, underscoring the mixed outlook. Pfizer Covid Pill Revenue Plunges 95%. The Stock Is Rising Anyway.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on the stock. BMO Capital Markets cut their target price on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 13th. HSBC lowered shares of Pfizer from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $32.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Monday, July 6th. CICC Research initiated coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, April 16th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $33.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their target price on Pfizer from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $28.28.

Pfizer Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $152.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.14 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.94. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $25.01 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $26.16.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. Pfizer had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 19.63%. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $14.40 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.78 EPS. The business's revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.4%. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 226.32%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. bought a new position in shares of Pfizer during the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Keb Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. HFM Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Pfizer by 61.0% during the 4th quarter. HFM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,127 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 427 shares in the last quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Pfizer by 132.2% during the 1st quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 994 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 566 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Abound Financial LLC acquired a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. 68.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Pfizer Company Profile

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

Continue following MarketBeat

Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.

Add As Preferred Source