Pfizer Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NYSE:PFE)

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) was the recipient of some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Stock traders acquired 202,219 call options on the company. This is an increase of 24% compared to the typical daily volume of 163,045 call options.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. UBS Group raised their price target on Pfizer from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Daiwa Capital Markets upgraded Pfizer from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and upped their target price for the stock from $28.00 to $34.00 in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Daiwa America raised shares of Pfizer from a "moderate buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Friday, October 25th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $30.00 target price for the company. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. One 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 assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $32.92.

Pfizer Trading Up 2.0 %

PFE stock traded up $0.50 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $25.63. The company's stock had a trading volume of 41,859,420 shares, compared to its average volume of 38,489,203. Pfizer has a 1 year low of $24.48 and a 1 year high of $31.54. The firm has a market capitalization of $145.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.64, a PEG ratio of 0.80 and a beta of 0.67. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $28.21 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $28.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 1.00.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.06 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.64 by $0.42. The company had revenue of $17.70 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.92 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 16.28% and a net margin of 7.07%. Pfizer's quarterly revenue was up 31.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted ($0.17) EPS. On average, equities research analysts predict that Pfizer will post 2.95 EPS for the current year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 2nd. Investors of record on Friday, November 8th will be issued a dividend of $0.42 per share. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.55%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 8th. Pfizer's payout ratio is 227.03%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Pfizer

In other news, Director Scott Gottlieb acquired 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 30th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $28.24 per share, for a total transaction of $28,240.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 10,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $282,400. This trade represents a 11.11 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.06% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Pfizer

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. State Street Corp lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 290,460,600 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $8,405,930,000 after purchasing an additional 3,405,539 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its holdings in Pfizer by 11.0% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 130,143,942 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $3,766,366,000 after purchasing an additional 12,864,343 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 117,666,245 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $3,392,342,000 after buying an additional 1,855,419 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 3.2% during the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 71,794,056 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $2,008,798,000 after acquiring an additional 2,241,609 shares in the last quarter. Finally, UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its position in Pfizer by 22.4% during the third quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 38,068,879 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $1,101,713,000 after acquiring an additional 6,977,587 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other 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.