Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Price Up 0.7% – Should You Buy?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) shares rose 0.7% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $25.58 and last traded at $25.66. Approximately 6,768,297 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 82% from the average daily volume of 37,329,668 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.47.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

PFE has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup reduced their price objective on Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Wolfe Research started coverage on Pfizer in a research report on Friday, November 15th. They set an “underperform” rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. Evercore ISI raised Pfizer to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Bank of America reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $29.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $31.92.

Pfizer Stock Up 0.8 %

The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63. The stock has a market cap of $145.44 billion, a PE ratio of 18.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.64. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $26.28 and a 200 day moving average of $27.63.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $17.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.26 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 12.62% and a return on equity of 19.47%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 24.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.10 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 24th will be paid a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 24th. This is a boost from Pfizer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.70%. Pfizer’s payout ratio is currently 121.99%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 117.0% during the third quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 69,178 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,002,000 after buying an additional 37,293 shares in the last quarter. CX Institutional lifted its position in Pfizer by 80.1% in the 3rd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 46,207 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,337,000 after buying an additional 20,552 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning lifted its position in Pfizer by 17.1% in the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 1,820,731 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $52,692,000 after buying an additional 266,167 shares in the last quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Occidental Asset Management LLC now owns 13,774 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $399,000 after buying an additional 544 shares during the last quarter. Finally, NBC Securities Inc. grew its stake in Pfizer by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. NBC Securities Inc. now owns 61,834 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,789,000 after buying an additional 407 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Company Profile

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.