Gotham Asset Management LLC Grows Position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)

Gotham Asset Management LLC increased its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) by 333.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 141,040 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 108,494 shares during the period. Gotham Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Pfizer were worth $3,742,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of PFE. Focus Partners Wealth increased its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 65.6% in the 4th quarter. Focus Partners Wealth now owns 1,311,901 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $35,077,000 after buying an additional 519,522 shares during the last quarter. Forefront Analytics LLC lifted its stake in Pfizer by 4.3% during the fourth quarter. Forefront Analytics LLC now owns 14,903 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $395,000 after purchasing an additional 609 shares during the last quarter. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 27.3% during the 4th quarter. Ensign Peak Advisors Inc now owns 6,445,011 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $170,986,000 after buying an additional 1,383,305 shares in the last quarter. Ethic Inc. boosted its stake in Pfizer by 40.4% in the fourth quarter. Ethic Inc. now owns 449,474 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $11,925,000 after buying an additional 129,381 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. Can grew its position in Pfizer by 41.2% during the fourth quarter. Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. Can now owns 650,900 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $17,275,000 after acquiring an additional 190,000 shares during the last quarter. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pfizer Stock Performance

NYSE:PFE opened at $22.01 on Thursday. 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 Inc. has a twelve month low of $20.92 and a twelve month high of $31.54. The stock has a market cap of $125.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.58. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $23.80 and its 200 day simple moving average is $25.44.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.92 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.67 by $0.25. Pfizer had a net margin of 12.62% and a return on equity of 19.47%. The company had revenue of $13.72 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.43 billion. Pfizer’s revenue was down 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.82 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 13th. Investors of record on Friday, May 9th will be paid a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 9th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 7.81%. Pfizer’s payout ratio is 124.64%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, March 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $25.00 price target (down from $32.00) on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Tuesday, April 8th. Hsbc Global Res upgraded Pfizer to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. Citigroup restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, March 27th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage on Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, April 22nd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $24.00 price target on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $29.17.

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.