Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Trading Up 1.7% - Still a Buy?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report)'s stock price was up 1.7% on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $26.05 and last traded at $26.01. Approximately 11,598,836 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 72% from the average daily volume of 41,689,217 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.56.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently commented on PFE shares. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Wolfe Research upped their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock an "underperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. TD Cowen decreased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $32.00 to $28.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 22nd. Leerink Partners decreased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $28.00 to $26.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, April 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $32.00 to $33.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, May 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $28.55.

Pfizer Price Performance

The stock's fifty day moving average price is $23.89 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $24.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $145.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.25. Pfizer had a net margin of 12.62% and a return on equity of 20.33%. The business had revenue of $13.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.43 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.82 EPS. The company's revenue was down 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 25th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 25th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.71%. Pfizer's payout ratio is 124.64%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pfizer

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of PFE. Capital Advisory Group Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 2.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital Advisory Group Advisory Services LLC now owns 13,542 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $328,000 after buying an additional 388 shares during the last quarter. Providence Capital Advisors LLC grew its position 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 valued at $3,034,000 after buying an additional 409 shares during the last quarter. Trust Co of the South grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 1.5% in the 2nd quarter. Trust Co of the South now owns 29,386 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $712,000 after buying an additional 441 shares during the last quarter. Charter Oak Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Charter Oak Capital Management LLC now owns 10,663 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $258,000 after buying an additional 444 shares during the last quarter. Finally, William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 1.2% in the 4th quarter. William B. Walkup & Associates Inc. now owns 39,368 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,044,000 after buying an additional 454 shares during the last quarter. 68.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.