Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Price Up 1.8% - Should You Buy?

Key Points

• Pfizer shares rose 1.8% to $30.48, but the stock’s average analyst rating remains “Hold,” with a consensus price target of $28.72—below its current price.
• Pipeline and oncology developments provided positive momentum, including a successful Phase 3 ELREXFIO trial, expanded TALZENNA/XTANDI use, encouraging lorlatinib data, and a new early-stage Alzheimer’s trial.
• Investors face concerns ahead of the November 3 earnings report: pandemic-related revenue continues to decline, and the $1.72 annual dividend represents a 5.6% yield but exceeds free cash flow, raising payout-sustainability questions.

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report)'s stock price was up 1.8% on Friday. The stock traded as high as $30.67 and last traded at $30.48. 37,080,873 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 6% from the average session volume of 39,629,590 shares. The stock had previously closed at $29.95.

Key Stories Impacting Pfizer

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer reported that its Phase 3 MagnetisMM-32 trial of ELREXFIO met its primary endpoint in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The result supports another potential growth driver for Pfizer’s oncology portfolio. The FDA also expanded the use of TALZENNA plus XTANDI for certain men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, increasing the commercial opportunity for the combination. Pfizer cancer trial and FDA approval article
• Positive Sentiment: New real-world data from China showed continued momentum for lorlatinib in lung cancer treatment, potentially reinforcing the drug’s adoption and durability outside clinical-trial settings. Lorlatinib China study article
• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer launched a Phase 1 trial for Alzheimer’s candidate PF-08161842, adding a new early-stage asset to its pipeline. Although the program is years from potential commercialization, it gives investors another source of long-term optionality. PF-08161842 Alzheimer’s trial article
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on Pfizer’s third-quarter earnings report, scheduled for November 3. Attention will center on whether non-COVID products and pipeline progress can offset continuing declines in pandemic-related revenue. Pfizer Q3 earnings outlook article
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts remain cautious ahead of earnings, while commentary highlights that Pfizer’s nearly 6% dividend yield exceeded free cash flow in the prior year. That raises questions about long-term payout coverage, even though the dividend remains attractive to income-focused investors. Pfizer dividend safety article

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Wall Street Zen lowered Pfizer from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, October 10th. Weiss Ratings raised Pfizer from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "hold (c)" rating in a report on Monday, August 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on Pfizer from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, October 9th. Finally, Guggenheim reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $28.72.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.96. The firm's fifty day moving average is $28.49 and its 200 day moving average is $26.76. The firm has a market capitalization of $173.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.11, a PEG ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.32.

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

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 6th will be issued a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 5.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, November 6th. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 226.32%.

Institutional Trading of Pfizer

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Third View Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 5.8% in the 3rd quarter. Third View Private Wealth LLC now owns 16,939 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $483,000 after buying an additional 923 shares during the period. Provenance Wealth Advisors LLC grew its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 132.4% during the third quarter. Provenance Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 39,699 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,132,000 after purchasing an additional 22,615 shares in the last quarter. Associated Banc Corp bought a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 3rd quarter worth $2,862,000. Cumberland Advisors Inc. raised its position in Pfizer by 8.4% during the third quarter. Cumberland Advisors Inc. now owns 77,300 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $2,205,000 after purchasing an additional 6,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Integrity Alliance LLC. raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 2.0% during the 3rd quarter. Integrity Alliance LLC. now owns 114,957 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $3,279,000 after buying an additional 2,277 shares in the last quarter. 68.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Pfizer Company Profile

Pfizer Inc is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines and vaccines. Its research activities span areas including oncology, internal medicine, inflammation and immunology, hospital care, infectious diseases and rare diseases.

The company's portfolio includes medicines such as Eliquis, Ibrance, Prevnar and Vyndaqel, as well as vaccines including Comirnaty, Abrysvo and Prevnar. Pfizer also develops treatments through internal research, licensing agreements and collaborations with other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Founded in Brooklyn, New York, in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart, Pfizer has grown into an international healthcare company serving patients and healthcare providers in markets around the world.

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