Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Price Down 2.3% – Here’s What Happened
by Doug Wharley · The Cerbat GemPfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report)’s stock price dropped 2.3% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $25.76 and last traded at $25.8850. Approximately 44,264,234 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 10% from the average daily volume of 49,365,293 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.50.
More Pfizer News
Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:
- Positive Sentiment: CEO Albert Bourla is doubling down on oncology with a roughly $23 billion post‑COVID investment plan, positioning Pfizer as a major growth bet on cancer therapies — a strategic pivot investors see as a multi‑year revenue driver. ‘We’ll save the world from cancer’: Inside Pfizer CEO’s $23 billion post‑COVID bet on oncology
- Positive Sentiment: Pfizer struck a non‑exclusive licensing agreement to access Novavax’s Matrix‑M adjuvant technology (reported value ~$530M), which could boost future vaccine efficacy and pipeline value. Pfizer Inks $530M Deal for Novavax Matrix‑M Adjuvant Technology
- Positive Sentiment: A bullish technical/forecast note projects upside toward ~$36.16, which can attract momentum and speculative buying. PFIZER Stock Holds Near $25.86 as Forecast Targets $36.16 Upside
- Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer is due to report Q4 and full‑year 2025 results before the market opens Feb. 3; consensus Q4 estimates cited are ~$16.9B sales and $0.57 EPS — the upcoming print is the near‑term catalyst. Should You Buy, Sell or Hold Pfizer Stock Ahead of Q4 Earnings?
- Neutral Sentiment: Zacks and other outlets report heightened retail/investor attention on PFE and provide deeper metric estimates ahead of earnings — increased search/coverage can amplify moves on the print. Investors Heavily Search Pfizer Inc. (PFE): Here is What You Need to Know
- Neutral Sentiment: Background pieces (portfolio company lists, Wall Street metric breakdowns) add context but are unlikely to move the stock materially on their own. 7 Companies Owned by Pfizer
- Negative Sentiment: Critical commentary warns of valuation and execution risks (Seeking Alpha: “Buyer Beware”) and highlights that risks may outweigh near‑term rewards, which can pressure sentiment. Pfizer: Buyer Beware, The Risk Outweighs The Reward
- Negative Sentiment: Media coverage of past management tactics (CEO comments on extreme COVID-era measures) and notes that PFE has recently underperformed peers may feed governance/PR concerns and short‑term selling. Pfizer CEO says he used ‘emotional blackmail’ to get employees to achieve impossible goals during COVID-19 Pfizer Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors
Analysts Set New Price Targets
A number of analysts have recently weighed in on PFE shares. Bank of America lowered their price objective on Pfizer from $29.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, December 15th. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “hold (c-)” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $32.00 to $28.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.06.
Read Our Latest Research Report on Pfizer
Pfizer Trading Up 1.2%
The company’s 50-day moving average is $25.52 and its 200 day moving average is $25.03. The company has a market cap of $150.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.36 and a beta of 0.47. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62.
Pfizer (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.87 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.79 by $0.08. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.17% and a net margin of 15.65%.The company had revenue of $16.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.94 billion. Pfizer has set its FY 2025 guidance at 3.000-3.150 EPS. Research analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current year.
Pfizer Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.5%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 100.00%.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer
A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Horizon Financial Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Pfizer by 174.8% during the 4th quarter. Horizon Financial Services LLC now owns 1,014 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 645 shares during the period. Curio Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Pfizer by 36,600.0% during the second quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 1,101 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 1,098 shares in the last quarter. YANKCOM Partnership purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Harbor Asset Planning Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Grey Fox Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Pfizer during the 3rd quarter worth about $29,000. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
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.