Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Up 1.9% – Still a Buy?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) shares were up 1.9% on Friday . The company traded as high as $26.76 and last traded at $26.7030. 42,345,897 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 0% from the average daily volume of 42,439,617 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.20.

Key Pfizer News

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Better-than-expected Q2 results supported the stock. Pfizer reported adjusted EPS of $0.77 versus the $0.68 consensus estimate and revenue of $15.03 billion versus expectations of $14.40 billion. The company also raised its 2026 revenue outlook, helping offset concerns about declining COVID-related sales. Pfizer Inc. Q2 2026 Earnings Call Summary
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline progress is improving Pfizer’s longer-term outlook. Analysts highlighted the company’s broader pipeline, including the potential obesity treatment berobenatide and PF-07328948. Berobenatide is being compared with Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, although Pfizer still faces significant development and competitive hurdles. Pfizer’s Next Weight-Loss Weapon
• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer and BioNTech advanced COVID-19 vaccine studies. A new Phase 4 study of a variant-adapted booster, along with progress on a next-generation pediatric booster, could support future vaccine demand and preserve the partnership’s commercial position. Variant-Adapted COVID-19 Booster Study
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinion remains mixed. Some analysts are bullish after the earnings beat and pipeline updates, while RBC Capital maintained a Hold rating, indicating that valuation and execution risks continue to limit conviction. RBC Capital Remains a Hold on Pfizer
• Negative Sentiment: Patent expirations and obesity-program uncertainty remain overhangs. Investors are questioning whether Pfizer’s pipeline can replace revenue lost to upcoming patent cliffs, while previous obesity setbacks make the berobenatide opportunity particularly important but far from assured. Pfizer’s Patent and Pipeline Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: COVID product sales remain weak. Pfizer’s COVID pill revenue reportedly fell 95%, underscoring the company’s continuing dependence on non-COVID products and pipeline launches to drive growth. Pfizer COVID Pill Revenue Decline

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Wolfe Research reiterated an “underperform” rating and set a $26.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, May 14th. Bank of America cut their price target on Pfizer from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Wall Street Zen raised Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Monday, August 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.28.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $152.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.14 and a beta of 0.34. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $25.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $26.16.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.68 by $0.09. Pfizer had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 19.63%. The firm had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.40 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.78 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.97 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.4%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is 226.32%.

Institutional Trading of Pfizer

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of PFE. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 1.3% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 541,346,182 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $13,479,520,000 after buying an additional 7,031,162 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV increased its holdings in Pfizer by 8.3% during the fourth quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 9,193,713 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $228,924,000 after buying an additional 706,426 shares during the last quarter. North Dakota State Investment Board purchased a new stake in Pfizer during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $5,348,000. PFA Pension Forsikringsaktieselskab bought a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth approximately $76,833,000. Finally, John G Ullman & Associates Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 35.0% during the 4th quarter. John G Ullman & Associates Inc. now owns 206,065 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $5,131,000 after acquiring an additional 53,467 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

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.