Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Shares Down 1.2% - Should You Sell?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report)'s share price dropped 1.2% during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $25.70 and last traded at $25.93. Approximately 13,426,413 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 65% from the average daily volume of 38,363,613 shares. The stock had previously closed at $26.25.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PFE has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. StockNews.com lowered Pfizer from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 20th. Citigroup cut their price objective on Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Truist Financial lowered their target price on Pfizer from $36.00 to $32.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating and issued a $33.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, February 10th. Finally, UBS Group lowered their target price on Pfizer from $31.00 to $29.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $31.92.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $146.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.39, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $26.31 and a 200 day moving average price of $27.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.73.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.48 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $17.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $17.26 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.47% and a net margin of 12.62%. Pfizer's quarterly revenue was up 24.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.10 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Investors of record on Friday, January 24th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. This is a boost from Pfizer's previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, January 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.63%. Pfizer's payout ratio is presently 121.99%.

Insider Activity at Pfizer

In related news, Director Ronald E. Blaylock bought 19,457 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 13th. The shares were bought at an average price of $25.65 per share, with a total value of $499,072.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 27,707 shares in the company, valued at approximately $710,684.55. This represents a 235.84 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. 0.06% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Retirement Wealth Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Rialto Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth $26,000. Clarity Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Gould Capital LLC boosted its position in Pfizer by 97.2% in the fourth quarter. Gould Capital LLC now owns 1,000 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 493 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kohmann Bosshard Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer in the fourth quarter worth $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors 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.