Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Stock Price Up 4.1% Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)’s share price was up 4.1% during mid-day trading on Wednesday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock traded as high as $26.98 and last traded at $26.83. Approximately 82,056,614 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 55% from the average daily volume of 52,894,664 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.77.

The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.66 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $17.56 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.93 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 12.42% and a return on equity of 20.25%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.63 EPS.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 6th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 23rd will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 23rd. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.5%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is presently 126.47%.

More Pfizer News

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beats — Pfizer reported 4Q revenue of $17.56B and adjusted EPS that beat consensus, reinforcing near‑term cash generation and supporting optimism about pipeline investments. Pfizer Pops on Q4 Results—But This May Be the Catalyst That Matters Most
• Positive Sentiment: GLP‑1 Phase 2b success — Lead obesity candidate MET‑097i (VESPER‑3) met its primary endpoint with up to 12.3% placebo‑adjusted weight loss and sustained effect after switching dosing cadence, giving Pfizer a credible entry into a fast‑growing GLP‑1 market. This is a near‑term clinical catalyst that drove recent upside. Pfizer Announces Positive Phase 2b Results for Obesity Drug
• Positive Sentiment: Oncology + AI growth story — Analysts and analysts’ commentary highlight Pfizer’s expanded oncology pipeline (post‑Seagen) and broad AI partnerships that management says will speed discovery and cut costs, offering multiple medium‑to‑long‑term revenue drivers beyond GLP‑1. Growth from Oncology and AI
• Neutral Sentiment: TrumpRx discounts — Pfizer launched a program on TrumpRx offering discounts on 30+ medicines to improve affordability; positive for access/reputation but could pressure list prices or commercial mix (impact on earnings unclear). Pfizer Launches Cost Savings Program on TrumpRx
• Neutral Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance mixed — Pfizer gave EPS guidance of $2.80–3.00 (midpoint slightly below some consensus) and revenue guidance that straddles estimates; this tempering likely capped the rally as investors parsed sustainability. Guidance Update
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and analyst caution — Despite the beats and clinical news, some outlets reported a mixed investor response to the weight‑loss data and a few firms maintained Hold/neutral ratings or modest price targets, which contributed to the pullback in PFE today. Analysts See Cautious Upside
• Negative Sentiment: Program pauses — Updates that paused some modRNA shingles work with BioNTech introduce specific R&D uncertainty and are a reminder of binary clinical risks across the pipeline. Pfizer and BioNTech Pause modRNA Shingles Ambitions

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently weighed in on PFE shares. BMO Capital Markets restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. HSBC restated a “buy” rating and set a $29.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, December 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, December 30th. Finally, UBS Group started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $25.00 target price on the stock. Two 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 issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $28.06.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Horizon Financial Services LLC raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 174.8% during the fourth 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 last quarter. Curio Wealth LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 36,600.0% in the 2nd quarter. Curio Wealth LLC now owns 1,101 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 1,098 shares during the period. YANKCOM Partnership purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. HFM Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 61.0% in the fourth quarter. HFM Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,127 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 427 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Asset Planning Inc. acquired a new stake in Pfizer during the second quarter worth about $29,000. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $150.60 billion, a PE ratio of 19.48 and a beta of 0.47. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $25.58 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.08. 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 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.