Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Trading Down 0.8% – Should You Sell?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)’s share price was down 0.8% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $25.65 and last traded at $25.63. Approximately 7,796,284 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 79% from the average daily volume of 37,533,719 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.83.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently weighed in on PFE shares. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Friday, November 15th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $25.00 price target on the stock. Guggenheim reduced their price target on shares of Pfizer from $35.00 to $33.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Evercore ISI upgraded Pfizer to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Pfizer from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $31.92.

Pfizer Trading Down 0.3 %

The stock has a market cap of $145.96 billion, a PE ratio of 34.81, a PEG ratio of 0.66 and a beta of 0.64. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $26.29 and its 200 day moving average price is $27.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.63 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.15. Pfizer had a return on equity of 16.28% and a net margin of 7.07%. The business had revenue of $17.76 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.26 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.10 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 24.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.96 EPS for the current year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. This is an increase from Pfizer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.68%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is 232.44%.

Institutional Trading of Pfizer

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Meriwether Wealth & Planning LLC bought a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $226,000. Gallagher Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter worth $4,049,000. Lauterbach Financial Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 40.7% during the 4th quarter. Lauterbach Financial Advisors LLC now owns 47,947 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,272,000 after acquiring an additional 13,881 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its stake in shares of Pfizer by 3.6% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 2,515,622 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $66,739,000 after purchasing an additional 88,527 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sowell Financial Services LLC raised its holdings in Pfizer by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Sowell Financial Services LLC now owns 180,359 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $4,785,000 after purchasing an additional 4,581 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

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.