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NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) invites investors and the general public to listen to a webcast of a discussion with Albert Bourla, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, at the Morgan Stanley 24th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 10:45 a.m. EDT. To listen to the webcast, visit our web site at www.pfizer.com/investors. Information on accessing and registering for the webcast will be available at www.pfizer.com/investors beginning today. The.

Investing in a top pharmaceutical company such as Pfizer (PFE -1.25%) might seem like a good long-term hold. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case in recent years. In the past five years, it has lost close to 40% of its value.

Many investors are torn about whether it's a good value buy or just a trap, given the question marks about its long-term future. Here's why I think the stock could be a great buy-and-hold investment right now.

Image source: Getty Images.

Concerns about its future growth may be overblownPfizer's business isn't nearly as big as it was when its COVID-19 vaccine and pill were generating monstrous numbers. But what I find encouraging about its operations is that it has been investing in other companies over the years, in an effort to diversify and strengthen its long-term growth prospects. Pfizer is facing patent cliffs, but its CEO has been deploying a strategy to address that and to enable the business to grow in the long term.

The company's revenue was up just 1% (operationally) in its most recent quarter, which ended on June 28. That was, however, even as it experienced declines in many of its products. The silver lining is that the company says it generated 25% of its operating growth from acquired products, including those it obtained from oncology company Seagen back in 2023.

In addition to acquisitions, the company has been investing in its pipeline, which may create catalysts that could further boost its top line in the future. One of its most promising is berobenatide, a weight loss drug that it acquired from Metsera. It is a monthly treatment option, and if it obtains approval, it could quickly give growth investors a reason to be much more bullish on Pfizer's future.

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Pfizer is a stock I'd just buy and forget aboutAlthough Pfizer's stock is up 14% this year, its valuation remains low, as it trades at just 10 times its estimated future earnings, based on analyst projections; there's still far more upside for the stock. It can take a while for investors to recognize the value it offers, but when that happens, the stock could quickly take off.

In the meantime, its yield remains high at around 6.1% -- that will come down if its share price rises. Thus, there's ample incentive to buy now while the stock price is relatively low and the yield is high. Pfizer can be a good long-term buy-and-forget investment, as its dividend can provide investors with a strong incentive to remain patient.

Pfizer shareholders are collecting a 6% yield while the stock bleeds value, and the CEO just made a bold promise about keeping that payout alive through what could be the company's toughest stretch in years.

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Pfizer (NYSE:PFE | PFE Price Prediction) paid shareholders $0.43 per share on September 1, 2026, the fourth consecutive quarter at that rate. The check itself is unremarkable. The yield attached to it stands out. Pfizer trades near $29.02, and the trailing annualized payout of $1.72 produces a headline yield around 6%. That yield exists because the stock has spent years going the wrong direction, while management has held capital returns flat.

Price Chart Explains the 6% Yield Pfizer is up 24.38% over the past year and 22.62% year to date, but the five-year picture tells the real story: shares are down 19.19% since September 2021, when they traded at $35.92. Falling prices mechanically inflate yields. With the 10-year Treasury at 4.75%, Pfizer’s premium over the risk-free rate is real but hardly generous once you factor in equity risk.

Cash Coverage Runs Razor-Thin Pfizer paid out $9.77 billion in dividends in 2025 against operating cash flow of $11.71 billion and capital expenditures of $2.63 billion. That leaves a razor-thin cushion. The second quarter of 2026 was worse: operating cash flow of $3.45 billion versus a dividend payout of $2.45 billion, further pressured by a $2.6 billion final TCJA repatriation tax payment.

Adjusted EPS came in at $0.77 for Q2 2026 and $0.75 for Q1, both beating estimates. Full-year 2026 guidance sits at $2.80 to $3.00 in adjusted EPS, which covers the $1.72 annual payout with room to spare. Notably, Pfizer has run no meaningful buyback in 2025 or 2026, meaning the dividend is doing all the shareholder-return work.

Management Draws a Line in the Sand CEO Albert Bourla addressed the elephant on the August call directly: “We feel extremely confident that we will, even the most stretched scenarios that we are running, we will be able to maintain our dividend.” He added that growth resumes “after the LOE period.” Translation: the payout holds through the loss-of-exclusivity trough, but do not expect meaningful hikes until Pfizer clears the $1.5 billion 2026 LOE headwind.

Scorecard: B-Minus Dividend Yield: attractive on paper, engineered by price weakness. Growth: penny bumps annually, from $0.42 to $0.43 in 2025. Coverage: acceptable on earnings, tight on cash. Balance sheet: leverage at 2.7 times. Grade: a B-minus dividend backed by a management team that has staked its credibility on not cutting it.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Chris Lange

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics. Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications. A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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Key Takeaways Pfizer's 95-program pipeline is increasingly focusing on obesity and oncology to rebuild growth.Berobenatide is in phase III, with Pfizer targeting its first potential approvals in 2028.Oncology remains a key pipeline engine, with late-stage candidates spanning several cancer types. Pfizer’s (PFE - Free Report) R&D pipeline is becoming an increasingly important part of the investment story as the company is trying to revive growth after the sharp decline in COVID-19 product revenues and address several upcoming patent expirations. As of Aug. 4, 2026, Pfizer had 95 pipeline programs. The pipeline spans oncology, internal medicine, inflammation & immunology and vaccines. Though Pfizer's pipeline is broad, the most important assets are concentrated in obesity and oncology.

Let's break it down.

Berobenatide: Pfizer's Biggest New Growth OpportunityThe most important emerging asset in Pfizer's pipeline is arguably berobenatide, its monthly GLP-1 receptor agonist, added from last year’s Metsera acquisition. The candidate is being developed in phase III for chronic weight management.

Pfizer's earlier oral GLP-1 program, danuglipron, failed to establish the company as a major oral obesity player. Berobenatide represents a different approach. Berobenatide is a long-acting injectable peptide GLP-1, whereas danuglipron was an oral small-molecule GLP-1.

The currently available and highly popular weight loss GLP therapies, Eli Lilly’s (LLY - Free Report) Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s (NVO - Free Report) Wegovy, are weekly injections. On the other hand, Pfizer’s berobenatide starts off as a weekly injection and then switches to a monthly injection. Berobenatide is designed for monthly maintenance dosing.

Pfizer plans 10 phase III studies for berobenatide for obesity and obesity-related comorbidities, including knee osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea. Three phase III studies on berobenatide have already begun. Pfizer is targeting the first of a series of potential approvals for berobenatide in 2028. Pfizer is also evaluating berobenatide in combination with an amylin-based therapy, PF'3945, in phase II studies.

Oncology Remains Pfizer's Strongest Pipeline EnginePfizer is also advancing its oncology clinical pipeline across areas such as breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal and blood cancers. Several oncology candidates have entered late-stage development, such as atirmociclib (a selective CDK4 inhibitor for HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer), sigvotatug vedotin (an antibody-drug conjugate for first-line metastatic non-small cell lung cancer) and mevrometostat (an EZH2 inhibitor being developed in combination with enzalutamide for prostate cancer). A regulatory application seeking approval of sasanlimab for BCG-naïve, high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is also under review in the EU.

One of Pfizer's more strategically interesting oncology programs is PF-08634404, a dual PD-1/VEGF inhibitor in-licensed from Chinese biotech 3SBio in 2025. Pfizer has initiated nine studies, including two pivotal phase III studies for PF-08634404 in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer and first-line NSCLC, and additional phase II studies in small-cell lung cancer and gastroesophageal cancers. Pfizer aims to establish PF-08634404 as a potential backbone therapy across multiple tumor types.

Dual PD-1/VEGF inhibitors have been designed to overcome the limitations of single-target cancer therapies like Merck’s (MRK - Free Report) blockbuster PD-L1 inhibitor, Keytruda.

Pfizer is also working on expanding the labels of approved cancer products like Padcev, Tuksya and Elrexfio, among others.

ConclusionThe 95-program pipeline provides plenty of shots on goal, but the key question for PFE investors is whether berobenatide plus the next generation of oncology drugs can generate enough new revenues to offset declining COVID sales, patent expirations and other portfolio pressures.

PFE’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesPfizer stock has risen 16.6% so far this year compared with an increase of 14.6% for the industry.

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From a valuation standpoint, Pfizer appears attractive relative to the industry. Going by the price/earnings ratio, Pfizer’s shares currently trade at 9.84 forward earnings, significantly lower than 18.79 for the industry. However, the stock is trading above its five-year mean of 9.25.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share has risen from $2.96 to $2.98, while that for 2027 has risen from $2.85 to $2.94 over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Pfizer has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Medicus Pharma Ltd. (NASDAQ:MDCX) secured on Wednesday an exclusive, sublicensable global license from Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) to develop, manufacture, and commercialize PF-08046031 (CD228V), an early clinical-stage antibody-drug conjugate targeting melanotransferrin.

• Medicus Pharma stock is testing key support levels. What’s behind MDCX weakness?

Melanotransferrin is a protein that in humans, is encoded by the MF12 gene. The protein is a cell-surface glycoprotein found on melanoma (a type of skin cancer) cells.

The co-development agreement grants Medicus full rights to utilize CD228V for the treatment, prevention, diagnosis, control and maintenance of all human diseases and disorders.

Financial Commitments and Billion-Dollar MilestonesTo obtain the license, Medicus paid a $12 million non-refundable upfront fee to Pfizer and must pay another $15 million on the first anniversary.

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To support initial progress, Pfizer delivered a $2 million development funding payment to Medicus, which must be applied solely toward executing the CD228V development plan.

Pfizer stands to gain development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments exceeding $1 billion if all target benchmarks across multiple indications are achieved. The pharmaceutical company is also eligible for low double-digit tiered royalties on annual net sales of CD228V products throughout the royalty term.

Operational Roles and Licensing TermsAlthough Pfizer maintains patent ownership and participates in co-development oversight, Medicus retains sole authority and financial responsibility for manufacturing, regulatory approval, and commercialization efforts.

Pfizer holds the right to review budgets, receive progress reports, and elect to fund product development following the initiation of the first pivotal trial.

Additionally, Pfizer will receive a portion of specified proceeds in events involving sublicensing, strategic transactions, or a change of control at Medicus.

Unless terminated early, the contract remains effective on a product-by-product and country-by-country basis until the applicable royalty terms expire.

MDCX Stock Price Activity: Medicus Pharma shares were down 32.24% to 18 cents at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Image via Shutterstock

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Key Takeaways Pfizer's oncology revenues rose 3% to $4.17 billion in the second quarter of 2026.Padcev sales climbed 23% to $667 million, helped by market share gains and a new indication.Pfizer is advancing PF-08634404 in nine studies as it targets broader oncology growth by 2030. Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) is a major global player in oncology, with a diversified presence across breast, genitourinary, thoracic, gastrointestinal and hematologic cancers. Its established portfolio of marketed cancer treatments is complemented by a robust pipeline covering a range of therapeutic approaches, including small-molecule drugs, antibody-drug conjugates and immuno-oncology biologics.

Oncology sales comprise around 27% of its total revenues. In the second quarter of 2026, oncology revenues increased 3% to $4.17 billion, with 2% operational growth, driven by drugs like Padcev, Lorbrena and Braftovi/Mektovi.

Lorbrena revenues rose 37% on an operational basis to $354 million in the second quarter. Adcetris sales fell 23% to $196 million. Inlyta revenues decreased 12% to $218 million. Braftovi/Mektovi revenues rose 23% to $223 million. New drug, Elrexfio, generated sales of $89 million in the quarter, up 5% year over year.

Padcev sales climbed 23% to $667 million, benefiting from strong demand trends mainly due to market share gains in first-line metastatic urothelial cancer and launch momentum from the new muscle-invasive bladder cancer indication.

Padcev is currently the most important growth driver for Pfizer’s oncology segment.The drug is being developed with Astellas and has become a key pillar of the company’s post-Seagen oncology strategy.  Last month, the FDA expanded the indication of Padcev + Merck’s (MRK - Free Report) Keytruda to muscle-invasive bladder cancer regardless of cisplatin eligibility. This significantly expands its addressable market. The approval was backed by phase III data showing a 35% reduction in mortality risk. The broader indication could position the regimen as a practice-changing treatment for more than 42,000 U.S. patients.

Pfizer has ventured into the oncology biosimilars space and markets six biosimilars for cancer. Its oncology biosimilars contributed $768 million in sales in the first half of 2026, up 23% year over year.

Pfizer is also advancing its oncology clinical pipeline across areas such as breast, thoracic, gastrointestinal and blood cancers. Several oncology candidates have entered late-stage development, such as atirmociclib and sigvotatug vedotin. A regulatory application seeking approval of sasanlimab is also under review in the EU.

A key candidate in PFE’s oncology pipeline is PF-08634404, a dual PD-1/VEGF inhibitor in-licensed from Chinese biotech 3SBio in 2025. Pfizer has initiated nine studies, including two pivotal phase III studies for PF-08634404 in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer and first-line NSCLC, and additional phase II studies in small-cell lung cancer and gastroesophageal cancers. Pfizer aims to establish PF-08634404 as a potential backbone therapy across multiple tumor types. By 2030, Pfizer expects to have eight or more blockbuster oncology medicines in its portfolio.

Pfizer is also working on expanding the labels of approved oncology drugs like Padcev, Tuksya and Elrexfio, among others.

Overall, Pfizer’s oncology franchise is well positioned to remain a key growth driver, with Padcev, Lorbrena, Braftovi/Mektovi and Elrexfio providing near-term momentum while a broad late-stage pipeline offers additional avenues for expansion.

Competition in the Oncology SpacePfizer is one of the largest drugmakers of cancer medicines. Other large players in the oncology space are J&J (JNJ - Free Report) , AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) , Merck and Bristol-Myers.

Oncology accounts for nearly 29% of J&J’s total revenues. In the first half of 2026, oncology revenues increased 16.9% to $14.4 billion on an operational basis, fueled by continued momentum for Darzalex and Erleada, although weaker demand for Imbruvica partially offset these gains. J&J’s new cancer drugs, Carvykti, Tecvayli, Talvey and Rybrevant/Lazcluze are contributing significantly to top-line growth driven by market share gains.

For AstraZeneca, oncology sales now comprise around 46% of total revenues. Sales in its oncology segment rose 15% at constant exchange rate to $14.1 billion in the first half of 2026. AstraZeneca’s strong oncology performance was driven by medicines such as Tagrisso, Lynparza, Imfinzi, Calquence and Enhertu (in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo).

Merck’s key oncology medicines are the PD-L1 inhibitor Keytruda and the PARP inhibitor Lynparza, which it markets in partnership with AstraZeneca. Keytruda, approved for several types of cancer, alone accounts for more than 55% of the company’s pharmaceutical sales. Keytruda recorded sales of $15.8 billion in the first half of 2026, up 4% year over year.

PFE’s Price Performance, Valuation and EstimatesPfizer stock has risen 12.3% so far this year compared with an increase of 13.9% for the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Pfizer appears attractive relative to the industry and is trading below its five-year mean. Going by the price/earnings ratio, Pfizer’s shares currently trade at 9.48 forward earnings, significantly lower than 18.71 for the industry. However, the stock is trading above its five-year mean of 9.25.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share has risen from $2.96 to $2.98, while that for 2027 has risen from $2.85 to $2.94 over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Pfizer has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report) during the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund bought 73,546 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,771,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Handelsbanken Fonder AB lifted its stake in Pfizer by 10.4% in the second quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 2,462,431 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $59,295,000 after buying an additional 232,528 shares during the last quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Pfizer by 15.7% in the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 5,482,863 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $132,365,000 after purchasing an additional 745,213 shares during the period. Leuthold Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the second quarter valued at approximately $4,887,000. North Dakota State Investment Board acquired a new position in shares of Pfizer during the fourth quarter worth approximately $5,348,000. Finally, Park National Corp OH boosted its position in shares of Pfizer by 332.1% during the second quarter. Park National Corp OH now owns 242,081 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $5,829,000 after buying an additional 186,053 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Trading Down 0.2% NYSE:PFE opened at $27.95 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a one year low of $23.58 and a one year high of $28.75. The company has a market cap of $159.31 billion, a PE ratio of 36.78 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.96. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $25.55 and a 200-day moving average of $26.30.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.40 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.63% and a net margin of 6.80%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.78 earnings per share. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.98 EPS for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.2%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is currently 226.32%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several brokerages have weighed in on PFE. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th. Wolfe Research reissued an “underperform” rating and set a $26.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, May 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings cut shares of Pfizer from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $28.28.

View Our Latest Research Report on PFE

Pfizer News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

Positive Sentiment: The FDA approved Pfizer and BioNTech’s XFG-adapted 2026–2027 COMIRNATY vaccine for adults 65 and older and people ages 5–64 with underlying conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19. Shipments to U.S. pharmacies, hospitals and clinics are beginning immediately, supporting seasonal vaccine revenue and confirming Pfizer’s continuing role in infectious-disease prevention. Reuters FDA approval article Positive Sentiment: Pfizer and Valneva’s Lyme disease vaccine candidate, PF-07307405, reached an additional regulatory milestone after its European Marketing Authorization Application was validated. If approved, the product could help diversify Pfizer’s vaccine portfolio beyond COVID-19. Pfizer COVID and Lyme vaccine milestones article Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer announced several clinical-development updates, including an early-stage autoimmune trial for PF-08154225, a Phase 1 study evaluating easier injection delivery for tilrekimig, a tucatinib continuation study and a post-marketing Xalkori study. These programs may strengthen the pipeline, but they remain too early or incremental to affect near-term valuation. Pfizer pipeline update Negative Sentiment: The updated COVID vaccine is aimed at older and high-risk patients, creating a substantially smaller addressable market than broad-based vaccination campaigns. That limits the likely revenue lift even though approval and immediate distribution are favorable developments. Pfizer updated COVID shot article Negative Sentiment: BioNTech’s failed colorectal-cancer vaccine trial pressured sentiment across the mRNA sector. Pfizer was relatively insulated because the setback involves BioNTech’s oncology program rather than a Pfizer-specific clinical failure, but the broader result reinforces investor concerns about the limits of mRNA technology outside infectious disease. BioNTech colorectal cancer trial article Negative Sentiment: Commentary continues to question Pfizer’s dividend sustainability because its payout ratio exceeds 100% and much of the turnaround case depends on cost reductions and growth targets that do not begin meaningfully until later in the decade. These concerns can cap enthusiasm despite Pfizer trading near its 52-week high. About Pfizer (Free Report)

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.

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Key Takeaways Pfizer's oncology portfolio spans multiple cancer types, with Seagen strengthening its ADC offerings.Bristol Myers is expanding beyond immuno-oncology through acquisitions, collaborations and new therapies.BMY has stronger 2026 estimates, but Pfizer offers a higher dividend yield and broader diversification. Pharma/biotech giants Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) and Bristol Myers (BMY - Free Report) boast a dominant position in the lucrative oncology space.

Oncology remains one of the most attractive and competitive areas in the pharma and biotech industry. With cancer cases continuing to rise worldwide, demand for innovative treatments is expected to drive sustained growth in the global oncology market.

Pfizer is one of the largest and most successful drugmakers in the field of oncology. Oncology sales comprise around 27% of its total revenues.

Oncology is a key therapeutic area of focus for Bristol Myers, which is developing and delivering transformational drugs in this space.

Both Pfizer and Bristol Myers maintain strong positions in their core therapeutic markets and have historically generated solid shareholder returns. Evaluating their fundamentals, growth drivers, pipeline strength, potential risks and valuation levels can help investors determine which stock currently offers the more compelling investment opportunity.

The Case for PfizerPfizer has built an innovative oncology product portfolio focused on targeting cancer through multiple modalities, including small molecules, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), multispecific antibodies and other immuno-oncology biologics. These therapies address a wide range of cancers, such as breast, genitourinary, hematologic, melanoma, gastrointestinal, gynecological and lung cancers.

Approved drugs in the portfolio include Ibrance, Xtandi, Padcev, Lorbrena, Adcetris, Inlyta, Braftovi/Mektovi, Bosulif, Tukysa, Elrexfio and Talzenna, among others. The breast cancer drug Ibrance is one of the top revenue generators in Pfizer’s oncology franchise.

The acquisition of Seagen in December 2023 strengthened PFE’s oncology portfolio by adding four ADCs — Adcetris, Padcev, Tukysa and Tivdak. The incremental sales from Seagen boosted oncology sales for the company. Seagen also has some next-generation ADC candidates in its pipeline and their successful development should further strengthen its portfolio.

PFE is pursuing label expansions for several of its cancer drugs, which could help boost sales.

Pfizer had earlier inked a licensing agreement with 3SBio for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of SSGJ-707, a bispecific antibody targeting PD-1 and VEGF, outside China.

PFE has oncology biosimilars in its portfolio and markets six of them for cancer. Oncology biosimilars primarily include Retacrit, Ruxience, Zirabev, Trazimera and Nivestym. Its oncology biosimilars generated $768 million in sales in the first half of 2026, up 24% year over year.

Pfizer is also advancing a robust pipeline of oncology candidates across areas such as breast, thoracic, genitourinary and blood cancer.

By 2030, it expects to have eight or more blockbuster oncology drugs in its portfolio.

Apart from oncology, Pfizer’s portfolio has a variety of drugs and vaccines for diseases like COVID-19, inflammation & immunology diseases, rare diseases and migraine, among others.

The Case for Bristol MyersBMY is focused on extending and strengthening its leadership in immuno-oncology (IO), as well as diversifying beyond IO. Blockbuster IO drug Opdivo, approved for several cancer indications, drives its oncology franchise along with Yervoy and Opdualag.

The FDA approval of Opdivo Qvantig (nivolumab and hyaluronidase-nvhy) injection for subcutaneous use has boosted its IO franchise. Per BMY, this new subcutaneous formulation of Opdivo should help extend the reach and impact of its IO franchise to patients into the next decade.

BMY has been active on the acquisition front to expand its oncology portfolio/pipeline. In 2024, BMY acquired Mirati, a commercial-stage targeted oncology company, obtaining the rights to commercialize lung cancer medicine Krazati and further develop several clinical assets, including a PRMT5 inhibitor.

Krazati, a KRAS inhibitor, is approved for second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is in clinical development with a PD-1 inhibitor for first-line NSCLC. It is also FDA-approved for advanced or metastatic KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer with cetuximab.

The acquisition of RayzeBio added radiopharmaceutical therapeutics, one of the fastest-growing new modalities for treating patients with solid tumors, to BMY’s pipeline.

In 2022, BMY acquired Turning Point and added lead asset, repotrectinib, and other clinical and pre-clinical stage assets to its pipeline. Repotrectinib was approved by the FDA in November 2023 and is marketed under the brand name Augtyro.

Augtyro, a kinase inhibitor, is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC. It is also intended for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with solid tumors that have NTRK gene fusion, are locally advanced or metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and have progressed following treatment or have no satisfactory alternative therapy.

The company has also collaborated with BioNTech for the global co-development and co-commercialization of the latter’s investigational bispecific antibody pumitamig for numerous solid tumor types.

Bristol Myers is also focused on developing drugs with presence in hematology, immunology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and other therapeutic areas.

A Look at Estimates: PFE vs BMYThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for PFE’s 2026 sales implies a year-over-year decrease of 0.24%, and that for earnings per share (EPS) suggests a decline of 7.45%.  EPS estimates for 2026 have moved south in the past 60 days while those for 2027 have moved north.

PFE’s Estimate Movement
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BMY’s 2026 sales implies a year-over-year increase of 3.38% while that EPS suggests an increase of 11.54%. EPS estimates for 2026 have increased to $6.86 from $6.32 in the past 60 days, while that for 2027 has increased to $6.44 from $6.05 in the same time frame.

BMY’s Estimate Movement
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Price Performance and Valuation of PFE and BMYFrom a price-performance perspective, BMY has fetched better year-to-date returns than PFE. Shares of BMY have gained 24.7%, while those of PFE have risen 12.3%. The large-cap pharma industry has gained 18.2% in the said period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, we use the P/E ratio of the large-cap pharma industry to compare these companies. Going by the same, BMY is slightly more expensive than PFE. BMY’s shares currently trade at 10.22X forward earnings, higher than 9.49X for BMY.

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PFE and BMY’s attractive dividend yield is a strong positive for investors. However, PFE’s dividend yield of 6.13% is higher than BMY’s 3.76%.

Which Stock Is a Better Pick for Now?Large pharma/biotech companies are generally considered safe havens for investors interested in this sector.

Since both PFE and BMY stocks currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), choosing one over the other could be tricky. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

PFE boasts a strong and diversified portfolio. Key products such as Vyndaqel, Padcev and Eliquis, along with new launches and recently acquired assets, should help cushion the impact of patent expirations affecting several key drugs.

BMY’s efforts to revive its top line amid generic pressure on legacy products are also encouraging. Growth from newer drugs should help offset continued erosion from generic competition, while recent collaborations and acquisitions are adding further strength to its pipeline.

However, we believe PFE is the more attractive pick at present, supported by its compelling valuation and broader, more diversified portfolio.

Pfizer (PFE -0.21%) has an attractive 6.1% dividend yield, as of this writing. That compares with roughly a 1% yield for the S&P 500 index (^GSPC -0.25%) and a 1.4% yield for the average pharmaceutical stock. Investors should probably be worried about Pfizer's shockingly high yield. But you may not be looking at the right metric to gauge how worried you should be.

Where do Pfizer's dividends come from? Most investors look at the dividend payout ratio when they consider dividend safety. This metric compares dividends to earnings, which is a logical concept. If a company earns more than it pays in dividends, the dividend should be safe. Pfizer's dividend payout ratio is currently above 200%, which is not comforting.

Image source: Getty Images.

Which is why it's a good thing that the financial impact of dividends doesn't appear on the earnings statement. It shows up on the cash flow statement. When you compare Pfizer's dividend to its free cash flow using the cash dividend payout ratio, you get around 90%. That's not exactly great, but it is far better than the earnings comparison. Notably, the cash to pay dividends doesn't have to come from earnings; it can come from other sources, such as cash on a company's balance sheet.

Which is why, if you are worried about Pfizer's dividend, you should probably be paying extra attention to the company's cash and short-term investments right now. And there is a material reason to worry. First, the good news: The company ended the second quarter of 2026 with nearly $1 billion in cash and $10.7 billion in short-term investments. Moreover, management continues to voice strong support for the dividend, which costs about $2.5 billion per quarter.

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For now, there's no particular reason to believe the dividend is at risk. However, the bad news is that Pfizer is facing several patent expirations, and its pipeline of new drugs isn't producing blockbusters just yet. So research and development spending is likely to be a key priority. R&D spending competes with the pharma giant's dividend for cash.

Watch the right metrics if you own Pfizer To be fair, Pfizer's elevated payout ratio is a sign of risk. But at the moment, it continues to have sufficient cash flow to cover the payment, as seen with the cash dividend payout ratio. But the real story may boil down to the cash the company has to support both its business and its dividend. With over $11 billion in cash and short-term investments on its balance sheet, Pfizer is fine today. But what should probably concern you most is the competing demands of the business and the dividend on that same pile of cash.

2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula targets the XFG variant, in line with FDA guidance to more closely match contemporary circulating variantsShipping will begin immediately to ensure rapid access to this season’s vaccine  NEW YORK and MAINZ, GERMANY, August 27, 2026 — Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE, “Pfizer”) and BioNTech SE (Nasdaq: BNTX, “BioNTech”) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for the companies’ 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula targeting the XFG variant (COMIRNATY® XFG; COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) for use in adults ages 65 years and older, as well as in individuals ages 5 through 64 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19.1

The FDA approval is based on the cumulative body of evidence previously submitted by Pfizer and BioNTech that includes clinical, non-clinical and real-world data supporting the safety and effectiveness of COMIRNATY, as well as manufacturing/quality and non-clinical data showing that the XFG-adapted COVID-19 vaccine generated strong immune responses against currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including XFG, XFG.1.1, NB.1.8.1, PQ.17, PQ.2.8.1 and other contemporary lineages.2

The selection of the XFG variant is based on guidance from the FDA as the preferred composition of COVID-19 vaccines for use in the U.S. beginning in fall 2026.3 This season’s Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will begin shipping immediately and will be available in pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics across the U.S. in the coming days.

To date, more than five billion doses of COMIRNATY have been distributed globally, and it continues to demonstrate a favorable safety and efficacy profile supported by extensive real-world evidence as well as clinical, non-clinical, pharmacovigilance, and manufacturing data.2 The COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and BioNTech are based on BioNTech’s proprietary mRNA technology and were developed by both companies. BioNTech is the Marketing Authorization Holder for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and its adapted vaccines in the United States, the EU, the United Kingdom, and other countries, and the holder of emergency use authorizations or equivalents in other countries.

U.S. INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INDICATION

COMIRNATY (COVID-19 VACCINE, mRNA) is a vaccine to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).        

COMIRNATY is for people who are:

65 years of age and older, or5 years through 64 years of age with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19.       
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION       

You or your child should NOT get COMIRNATY® (COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA) if you or your child had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of COMIRNATY or any Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or to any ingredient in these vaccinesThere is a remote chance that COMIRNATY could cause a severe allergic reaction. A severe allergic reaction would usually occur within a few minutes to 1 hour after getting a dose. For this reason, the vaccination provider may ask you or your child to stay at the place where you or your child received the vaccine for monitoring after vaccination. Signs of a severe allergic reaction can include: Difficulty breathingSwelling of the face and throatA fast heartbeatA bad rash all over the bodyDizziness and weakness Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart) have occurred in some people who have received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including COMIRNATY and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. Myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have occurred most commonly in males 12 years through 24 years of age. In most of these people, symptoms began within a week following vaccination. You should seek medical attention right away if you or your child have any of the following symptoms after receiving the COMIRNATY, particularly during the 2 weeks after receiving a dose of the vaccine: Chest painShortness of breathFeelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heartAdditional symptoms, particularly in children, may include: FaintingUnusual and persistent fatigue or lack of energyPersistent vomitingPersistent pain in the abdomenUnusual and persistent cool, pale skin Fainting can happen after getting injectable vaccines including COMIRNATY. Your vaccination provider may ask you to sit or lie downPeople with weakened immune systems may have a reduced immune response to COMIRNATYVaccination with COMIRNATY may not protect all people who receive the vaccine
Before getting COMIRNATY, tell your vaccination provider about all of your or your child’s medical conditions, including if you or your child:           

have any allergieshad a severe allergic reaction after receiving a previous dose of any COVID-19 vaccinehave had myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the lining outside the heart)have a feverhave a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinnerare immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects your immune systemare pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeedinghave received another COVID-19 vaccinehave ever fainted in association with an injection     
Additional side effects that have been reported with COMIRNATY or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines include: 

Non-severe allergic reactions such as rash, itching, hives, or swelling of the faceInjection site reactions: pain, swelling, redness, arm painGeneral side effects: tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, feeling unwell, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), decreased appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, dizzinessFebrile seizures (convulsions during a fever) in children 5 through 11 years of age  These may not be all the possible side effects of COMIRNATY. Ask your or your child’s healthcare provider about any side effects that concern you.

You may report side effects to FDA/CDC Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The VAERS toll-free number is 1‐800‐822‐7967 or report online to www.vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.

In addition, you can report side effects to Pfizer Inc. at 1-800-438-1985 or www.pfizersafetyreporting.com.

Please click here for full Prescribing Information and Patient Information for COMIRNATY. If prescribing details are not currently available via the link, it will be visible as soon as possible as we work to finalize the document. Please check back for the full information shortly.

About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients’ Lives
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 175 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.Pfizer.com and follow us on X at @Pfizer and @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer. 

Pfizer Disclosure Notice 
The information contained in this release is as of August 27, 2026. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments.

This release contains forward-looking information about COMIRNATY® (COVID-19 VACCINE, mRNA), including its potential benefits, manufacturing and supply and an approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of the supplemental Biologics License Application for the companies’ 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula targeting the XFG variant for use in adults ages 65 years and older, as well as in individuals ages 5 through 64 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19, that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding the commercial success of COMIRNATY; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for our clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our clinical studies; whether and when applications may be filed with regulatory authorities in particular jurisdictions for COMIRNATY for any potential indication, including for the 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula; whether and when any such applications that may be pending or filed for COMIRNATY may be approved by regulatory authorities, which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the product’s benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the product’s efficacy and, if approved, whether COMIRNATY will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of COMIRNATY; risks and uncertainties related to changes to vaccine or other healthcare policy in the U.S. or other jurisdictions; the risk that demand for any products may be reduced or no longer exist or not meet expectations which may lead to reduced revenues, excess inventory on-hand/or in the channel or other unanticipated charges; uncertainties related to recommendations and coverage for, and the public’s adherence to vaccines, boosters, treatments or combinations; risks related to our ability to accurately predict or achieve our revenue forecasts for COMIRNATY or any potential future COVID-19 vaccines; risks and uncertainties related to issued or future executive orders or other new, or changes in, laws or regulations; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on our business, operations and financial results; and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned “Risk Factors” and “Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results”, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com.

About BioNTech      
Biopharmaceutical New Technologies (BioNTech) is a global next generation immunotherapy company pioneering novel investigative therapies for cancer and other serious diseases. BioNTech exploits a wide array of computational discovery and therapeutic modalities with the intent of rapid development of novel biopharmaceuticals. Its diversified portfolio of oncology product candidates aiming to address the full continuum of cancer includes mRNA cancer immunotherapies, next-generation immunomodulators and targeted therapies such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and innovative chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies. Based on its deep expertise in mRNA development and in-house manufacturing capabilities, BioNTech and its collaborators are researching and developing multiple mRNA vaccine candidates for a range of infectious diseases alongside its diverse oncology pipeline. BioNTech has established a broad set of relationships with multiple global and specialized pharmaceutical collaborators, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Duality Biologics, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Genmab, MediLink, OncoC4, and Pfizer.
For more information, please visit www.BioNTech.com.

BioNTech Forward-looking Statements    
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements concerning: BioNTech’s efforts to combat COVID-19; the collaboration between BioNTech and Pfizer; regulatory submissions and regulatory approvals or authorizations, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the supplemental Biologics License Application for the companies’ 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula targeting the XFG variant for use in adults ages 65 years and older, as well as in individuals ages 5 through 64 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19; expectations regarding manufacturing, distribution and supply; qualitative assessments of available data and expectations of potential benefits, including the adapted vaccine’s response against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the XFG variant and other currently circulating variants; expectations regarding anticipated changes in COVID-19 vaccine demand, including changes to the ordering environment; and expected regulatory recommendations to adapt vaccines to address new variants or sublineages. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “will,” “may,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are neither promises nor guarantees, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond BioNTech’s control and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as risks associated with preclinical and clinical data, including the data discussed in this release, and including the possibility of unfavorable new preclinical, clinical or safety data and further analyses of existing preclinical, clinical or safety data; the nature of the clinical data, which is subject to ongoing peer review, regulatory review and market interpretation; BioNTech’s pricing and coverage negotiations with governmental authorities, private health insurers and other third-party payors; the future commercial demand and medical need for initial or booster doses of a COVID-19 vaccine; the impact of tariffs and escalations in trade policy; the availability of raw materials to manufacture a vaccine; our vaccine’s formulation, dosing schedule and attendant storage, distribution and administration requirements, including risks related to storage and handling after delivery; competition from other COVID-19 vaccines or related to BioNTech’s other product candidates, including those with different mechanisms of action and different manufacturing and distribution constraints, on the basis of, among other things, efficacy, cost, convenience of storage and distribution, breadth of approved use, side-effect profile and durability of immune response; the ability to obtain recommendations from vaccine advisory or technical committees and other public health authorities and uncertainties regarding the commercial impact of any such recommendations; the timing of and BioNTech’s ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for BioNTech’s product candidates; the ability of BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccines to prevent COVID-19 caused by emerging virus variants; BioNTech’s ability to identify research opportunities and discover and develop investigational medicines; the ability and willingness of BioNTech’s third-party collaborators to continue research and development activities relating to BioNTech’s development candidates and investigational medicines; the impact of COVID-19 on BioNTech’s development programs, supply chain, collaborators and financial performance; unforeseen safety issues and potential claims that are alleged to arise from the use of BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine and other products and product candidates developed or manufactured by BioNTech; BioNTech’s and its collaborators’ ability to commercialize and market BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine and, if approved, its product candidates; BioNTech’s ability to manage its development and related expenses; regulatory developments in the United States and other countries; BioNTech’s ability to effectively scale its production capabilities and manufacture its products and BioNTech’s product candidates; risks relating to the global financial system and markets; and other factors not known to BioNTech at this time.

You should review the risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in BioNTech's Report on Form 6-K for the period ended June 30, 2026, and in subsequent filings ade by BioNTech with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov/. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, BioNTech disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release in the event of new information, future developments or otherwise.

CONTACTS

Pfizer:
Media Relations
+1 (212) 733-1226
[email protected]

Investor Relations
+1 (212) 733-4848
[email protected]

BioNTech:
Media Relations
Jasmina Alatovic
[email protected]

Investor Relations
Douglas Maffei, Ph.D.
[email protected]

BioNTech's colorectal cancer vaccine just collapsed in a Phase 2 trial, dragging Moderna down with it despite last week's melanoma triumph, and the fallout is forcing investors to rethink how far mRNA technology can actually reach into solid tumors.

A single trial readout is reshuffling the mRNA vaccine trade this morning. BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX | BNTX Price Prediction) stock is down 8% to $102.38 after the company terminated its Phase 2 colorectal cancer vaccine trial for futility, ending one of the highest-profile programs in its post-COVID oncology pivot.

The read-across is hitting the platform peer group. Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) stock is down 6% to $134.48 as investors trim exposure to mRNA cancer vaccines, while Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) stock is down 0.4% to $27.91 and largely insulated from the oncology setback despite its BioNTech partnership on COVID shots. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) is up 0.45% at $774.57, but the evidence suggests that the move in BNTX is company-specific.

Colorectal Vaccine Termination Guts the Oncology Thesis BioNTech stopped its Phase 2 BNT122-01 study of autogene cevumeran, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed with Genentech, which was testing the shot as adjuvant monotherapy in patients with surgically resected, high-risk Stage II/III colorectal cancer. An independent Data Safety Monitoring Board flagged a numerical imbalance in overall survival between the treatment arms and concluded that continuing the trial would not change the efficacy outcome.

The futility boundary was actually crossed back in October 2025, though the underlying dataset was initially deemed too immature to halt the study at that point. BioNTech continued to blind the trial as investigators awaited additional survival events, and the follow-up analysis confirmed the earlier signal. Chief Medical Officer Prof. Özlem Türeci stated the outcome “provides scientific insight into the challenges of treating immunotherapy-insensitive tumor types with immune-suppressive microenvironments.”

The termination reverses part of an otherwise strong summer for BioNTech shares, which had climbed 17% year to date through Thursday’s close. The consensus analyst target still sits at $121.16, leaving the sell side with a gap to reconcile as models absorb the removal of a marquee oncology asset.

Why Moderna’s Melanoma Win Doesn’t Rescue the Read Moderna and Merck reported a Phase 3 success last week for their mRNA vaccine combined with Keytruda in melanoma, and Moderna stock more than doubled in a single session on August 19. Melanoma is an immunologically hot tumor with a high mutational burden that already responds well to immunotherapy, while colorectal cancer is immunologically cold and has historically resisted immune-based treatment. That biological gap is why yesterday’s readout doesn’t automatically undermine Moderna’s melanoma franchise, even as it forces a re-underwriting of the mRNA cancer vaccine class as a whole.

The trial designs also diverge in a way that matters for the read. Moderna tested a combination with an established checkpoint inhibitor, while BioNTech tested a standalone monotherapy against watchful waiting, a significantly higher clinical hurdle. No Moderna-specific catalyst has been verified for today’s session, so the Moderna stock decline likely reflects a mix of platform read-across and profit taking.

Pfizer Barely Budges as Seasonal COVID Approval Cushions the Spillover Separately, the FDA approved Pfizer and BioNTech’s 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine formula targeting the XFG variant on Thursday, for adults 65 and older and for people aged 5 through 64 with at least one high-risk underlying condition. Shipping begins immediately. The approval matters more for the seasonal revenue split between the two partners than for either stock’s long-term trajectory.

For Pfizer, this is routine seasonal business layered on top of a diversified oncology and specialty franchise that spans Padcev, Ibrance, Xtandi, and Lorbrena, which is why Pfizer shares are barely budging today. For BioNTech, the seasonal approval isn’t large enough to offset the loss of a flagship oncology asset that helped anchor the post-COVID growth narrative.

BioNTech’s balance sheet does soften the blow operationally. The company reported €16.6 billion in cash and securities in the second quarter of 2026 against a net loss of €820.8 million for the quarter, so isolated program failures don’t threaten funding for the rest of the pipeline, including the Phase 2 IMcode003 pancreatic cancer trial that combines the platform with checkpoint blockade and chemotherapy.

What to Watch Next An interim analysis of the BNT113 head and neck cancer trial is upcoming, and the ESMO Congress in October 2026 may offer side-by-side data from both companies. That backdrop gives the market a cleaner benchmark to judge whether individualized neoantigen vaccines can travel beyond melanoma into harder tumor types.

BioNTech shareholders should consider right-sizing their positions given the pipeline gap now exposed, and Moderna holders may want to review their exposure after a parabolic month that leaves the valuation stretched relative to the $104.53 average analyst target. Traders can watch for a stabilization bid in BioNTech shares once forced-seller and arbitrage flows finish resetting.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Advisors Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report) by 2.8% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 2,703,246 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 73,540 shares during the quarter. Advisors Capital Management LLC’s holdings in Pfizer were worth $65,094,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 132.2% in the 1st quarter. Evolution Wealth Management Inc. now owns 994 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 566 shares during the last quarter. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. bought a new stake in Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Keb Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. HFM Investment Advisors LLC boosted its position 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 valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 427 shares during the period. Finally, Global Trust Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in Pfizer by 126.7% in the 1st quarter. Global Trust Asset Management LLC now owns 1,163 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 650 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have recently issued reports on PFE shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. Wolfe Research reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and issued a $26.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday, May 14th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on shares of Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Guggenheim cut their price target on shares of Pfizer from $35.00 to $31.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.28.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on PFE Pfizer Price Performance PFE opened at $28.00 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $159.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.84 and a beta of 0.34. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $25.30 and a 200-day moving average price of $26.25. Pfizer Inc. has a 12-month low of $23.58 and a 12-month high of $28.75.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $14.40 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 19.63%. The firm’s revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.78 EPS. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Pfizer’s payout ratio is currently 226.32%.

Pfizer News Summary Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

Positive Sentiment: Pfizer completed a Phase 1/2 study of PF-07868489, an experimental treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The milestone supports early-stage pipeline progress, though additional clinical testing will be needed before any potential commercialization. Pfizer’s PF-07868489 PAH Study Reaches Completion Positive Sentiment: Several additional clinical updates highlighted progress across Pfizer’s development portfolio: completion of a Phase 1 atirmociclib study, completion of a drug-interaction study for PF-07248144, and a new Phase 1 liver study for atirmociclib. These milestones may reinforce confidence in Pfizer’s ability to replenish revenue as older products face competition. Atirmociclib Study Update PF-07248144 Study Update Positive Sentiment: Pfizer is also expanding real-world evidence efforts for prostate cancer therapies, Ibrance in advanced breast cancer, and a migraine treatment study in India. These studies could support broader use and strengthen commercial evidence for existing medicines. Pfizer Real-World Prostate Cancer Study Positive Sentiment: Investor-oriented coverage remains constructive, citing Pfizer’s roughly 19% year-to-date gain, attractive dividend yield, and reported hedge-fund buying. The stock’s move toward its 52-week high suggests improving sentiment. Hedge Funds Buying Pfizer Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options activity may increase short-term trading interest, but it does not establish a clear fundamental direction for PFE. Pfizer Options Trading Negative Sentiment: Coverage of settlements involving thousands of Depo-Provera lawsuits raises concerns about potential legal costs and ongoing liability. Analysts also continue to weigh whether new drugs and acquisitions can offset revenue losses from expiring patents. Pfizer Legal Claims Pfizer Company Profile (Free Report)

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.

Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than Pfizer VIG, VYM, and VYMI: Which Vanguard Dividend ETF Is Right for You? 3 Closed-End Funds to Maximize Dividend Payments Rocket Lab’s Sell-Off Is Fading—Is It Finally Safe to Buy? $27 Billion in Buybacks: 3 Stocks Betting Their Strong Runs Aren’t Over Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report).

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Danske Bank A S boosted its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report) by 9.2% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 3,677,679 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after buying an additional 309,400 shares during the quarter. Danske Bank A S owned approximately 0.06% of Pfizer worth $88,559,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 1,282.4% in the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 666,318 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $17,677,000 after purchasing an additional 618,117 shares in the last quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC grew its position in Pfizer by 12.5% in the fourth quarter. Revolve Wealth Partners LLC now owns 18,766 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $498,000 after purchasing an additional 2,087 shares in the last quarter. United Bank grew its position in Pfizer by 12.4% in the second quarter. United Bank now owns 58,087 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,408,000 after purchasing an additional 6,415 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. increased its stake in Pfizer by 31.5% in the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 2,635,691 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $63,889,000 after buying an additional 631,523 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HUB Investment Partners LLC increased its stake in Pfizer by 45.3% in the 2nd quarter. HUB Investment Partners LLC now owns 102,327 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,480,000 after buying an additional 31,896 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Stock Up 0.8% Shares of PFE opened at $28.00 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $159.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.84 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.27. Pfizer Inc. has a 52 week low of $23.58 and a 52 week high of $28.75. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $25.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $26.25.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.40 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.78 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.98 earnings per share for the current year. Pfizer Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Investors of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 226.32%.

Key Pfizer News Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

Positive Sentiment: Pfizer completed a Phase 1/2 study of PF-07868489, an experimental treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The milestone supports early-stage pipeline progress, though additional clinical testing will be needed before any potential commercialization. Pfizer’s PF-07868489 PAH Study Reaches Completion Positive Sentiment: Several additional clinical updates highlighted progress across Pfizer’s development portfolio: completion of a Phase 1 atirmociclib study, completion of a drug-interaction study for PF-07248144, and a new Phase 1 liver study for atirmociclib. These milestones may reinforce confidence in Pfizer’s ability to replenish revenue as older products face competition. Atirmociclib Study Update PF-07248144 Study Update Positive Sentiment: Pfizer is also expanding real-world evidence efforts for prostate cancer therapies, Ibrance in advanced breast cancer, and a migraine treatment study in India. These studies could support broader use and strengthen commercial evidence for existing medicines. Pfizer Real-World Prostate Cancer Study Positive Sentiment: Investor-oriented coverage remains constructive, citing Pfizer’s roughly 19% year-to-date gain, attractive dividend yield, and reported hedge-fund buying. The stock’s move toward its 52-week high suggests improving sentiment. Hedge Funds Buying Pfizer Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options activity may increase short-term trading interest, but it does not establish a clear fundamental direction for PFE. Pfizer Options Trading Negative Sentiment: Coverage of settlements involving thousands of Depo-Provera lawsuits raises concerns about potential legal costs and ongoing liability. Analysts also continue to weigh whether new drugs and acquisitions can offset revenue losses from expiring patents. Pfizer Legal Claims Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded shares of Pfizer from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $25.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, June 9th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on Pfizer from $34.00 to $30.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, July 13th. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, July 6th. Wall Street Zen raised Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Pfizer from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $28.28.

Get Our Latest Report on Pfizer

About Pfizer (Free Report)

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.

See Also Five stocks we like better than Pfizer 2 Biotech Stocks Shaping Up for Major Breakouts 3 Stocks Came Roaring Back—Now They’re Flashing Warning Signs 3 Beaten-Down Stocks That Haven’t Gotten the Message About the S&P 500’s Record Run Darden Restaurants Just Hit a 52-Week High–Is the Olive Garden Comeback Story Legit? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report).

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BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report) by 6.3% during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 529,670,433 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 31,412,883 shares during the quarter. BlackRock Inc. owned approximately 9.29% of Pfizer worth $12,754,464,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,830,986,000. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 19.2% in the fourth quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 89,113,604 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,218,929,000 after purchasing an additional 14,342,946 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Pfizer by 38.9% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 48,514,971 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,208,023,000 after buying an additional 13,581,757 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC grew its stake in Pfizer by 577.5% during the fourth quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 8,786,084 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $218,817,000 after acquiring an additional 7,489,189 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors increased its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 51.5% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 21,433,890 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $533,704,000 after purchasing an additional 7,287,194 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Trading Up 0.8% Pfizer stock opened at $28.00 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $159.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.84 and a beta of 0.34. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $25.30 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $26.25. Pfizer Inc. has a 12 month low of $23.58 and a 12 month high of $28.75. The company has a current ratio of 1.27, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.63% and a net margin of 6.80%.The business had revenue of $15.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.40 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.78 EPS. Pfizer’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. As a group, equities analysts predict that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Pfizer Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.1%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is presently 226.32%.

Key Pfizer News Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

Positive Sentiment: Pfizer completed a Phase 1/2 study of PF-07868489, an experimental treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The milestone supports early-stage pipeline progress, though additional clinical testing will be needed before any potential commercialization. Pfizer’s PF-07868489 PAH Study Reaches Completion Positive Sentiment: Several additional clinical updates highlighted progress across Pfizer’s development portfolio: completion of a Phase 1 atirmociclib study, completion of a drug-interaction study for PF-07248144, and a new Phase 1 liver study for atirmociclib. These milestones may reinforce confidence in Pfizer’s ability to replenish revenue as older products face competition. Atirmociclib Study Update PF-07248144 Study Update Positive Sentiment: Pfizer is also expanding real-world evidence efforts for prostate cancer therapies, Ibrance in advanced breast cancer, and a migraine treatment study in India. These studies could support broader use and strengthen commercial evidence for existing medicines. Pfizer Real-World Prostate Cancer Study Positive Sentiment: Investor-oriented coverage remains constructive, citing Pfizer’s roughly 19% year-to-date gain, attractive dividend yield, and reported hedge-fund buying. The stock’s move toward its 52-week high suggests improving sentiment. Hedge Funds Buying Pfizer Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options activity may increase short-term trading interest, but it does not establish a clear fundamental direction for PFE. Pfizer Options Trading Negative Sentiment: Coverage of settlements involving thousands of Depo-Provera lawsuits raises concerns about potential legal costs and ongoing liability. Analysts also continue to weigh whether new drugs and acquisitions can offset revenue losses from expiring patents. Pfizer Legal Claims Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Bank of America dropped their price objective on Pfizer from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $27.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Guggenheim decreased their price target on shares of Pfizer from $35.00 to $31.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 7th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Pfizer from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, HSBC downgraded Pfizer from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $32.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Monday, July 6th. 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 MarketBeat, Pfizer currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $28.28.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Pfizer

About Pfizer (Free Report)

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.

Read More Five stocks we like better than Pfizer Blueprint for a Boom: SEC Clears the Crypto Runway Ross Stores Just Flipped the Off-Price Retail Story After TJX’s Marmaxx Miss Advance Auto Parts Plunged, But Its Turnaround Is Still Working Is Palo Alto Networks Priced for Perfection Again as AI Security Demand Accelerates? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

AMG National Trust Bank decreased its stake in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report) by 30.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 63,296 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 27,369 shares during the period. AMG National Trust Bank’s holdings in Pfizer were worth $1,524,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of PFE. Cura Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in Pfizer by 5.8% during the second quarter. Cura Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 21,140 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $509,000 after buying an additional 1,167 shares during the period. Simplicity Wealth LLC lifted its stake in Pfizer by 144.2% in the second quarter. Simplicity Wealth LLC now owns 109,120 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,628,000 after buying an additional 64,440 shares during the last quarter. Wealth Effects LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 2.6% in the second quarter. Wealth Effects LLC now owns 78,083 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,880,000 after acquiring an additional 2,008 shares during the period. Gould Asset Management LLC CA grew its position in shares of Pfizer by 16.5% during the second quarter. Gould Asset Management LLC CA now owns 9,062 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $218,000 after acquiring an additional 1,283 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Global Retirement Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Pfizer during the second quarter worth approximately $4,339,000. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In PFE has been the subject of several research reports. Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $26.00 to $27.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada raised shares of Pfizer from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $25.00 target price for the company in a report on Tuesday, June 9th. Guggenheim decreased their target price on shares of Pfizer from $35.00 to $31.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, HSBC cut Pfizer from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $32.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Monday, July 6th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.28.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Analysis on Pfizer Key Pfizer News Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

Positive Sentiment: Pfizer completed a Phase 1/2 study of PF-07868489, an experimental treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The milestone supports early-stage pipeline progress, though additional clinical testing will be needed before any potential commercialization. Pfizer’s PF-07868489 PAH Study Reaches Completion Positive Sentiment: Several additional clinical updates highlighted progress across Pfizer’s development portfolio: completion of a Phase 1 atirmociclib study, completion of a drug-interaction study for PF-07248144, and a new Phase 1 liver study for atirmociclib. These milestones may reinforce confidence in Pfizer’s ability to replenish revenue as older products face competition. Atirmociclib Study Update PF-07248144 Study Update Positive Sentiment: Pfizer is also expanding real-world evidence efforts for prostate cancer therapies, Ibrance in advanced breast cancer, and a migraine treatment study in India. These studies could support broader use and strengthen commercial evidence for existing medicines. Pfizer Real-World Prostate Cancer Study Positive Sentiment: Investor-oriented coverage remains constructive, citing Pfizer’s roughly 19% year-to-date gain, attractive dividend yield, and reported hedge-fund buying. The stock’s move toward its 52-week high suggests improving sentiment. Hedge Funds Buying Pfizer Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options activity may increase short-term trading interest, but it does not establish a clear fundamental direction for PFE. Pfizer Options Trading Negative Sentiment: Coverage of settlements involving thousands of Depo-Provera lawsuits raises concerns about potential legal costs and ongoing liability. Analysts also continue to weigh whether new drugs and acquisitions can offset revenue losses from expiring patents. Pfizer Legal Claims Pfizer Stock Performance NYSE PFE opened at $28.00 on Friday. Pfizer Inc. has a 1-year low of $23.58 and a 1-year high of $28.75. The company has a market capitalization of $159.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.84 and a beta of 0.34. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $25.30 and a 200 day moving average price of $26.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 0.96.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.40 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.63% and a net margin of 6.80%.Pfizer’s quarterly revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.78 earnings per share. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.98 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 24th will be issued a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.1%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, July 24th. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 226.32%.

About Pfizer (Free Report)

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.

Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Pfizer Blueprint for a Boom: SEC Clears the Crypto Runway Ross Stores Just Flipped the Off-Price Retail Story After TJX’s Marmaxx Miss Advance Auto Parts Plunged, But Its Turnaround Is Still Working Is Palo Alto Networks Priced for Perfection Again as AI Security Demand Accelerates? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PFE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE – Free Report).

Receive News & Ratings for Pfizer Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pfizer and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

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Big-league hedge funds have been taking interest in shares of Pfizer (NYSE:PFE | PFE Price Prediction) of late, with recent 13F filings revealing significant buying activity among the smart money crowd. While no single fund has backed up the truck, the steady buying of the 6.3%-yielding biopharmaceutical company is more than notable.

Of course, the yield, which once flirted with 7%, has come down by quite a lot, especially after the latest 14% past-month rally. Whether the window to buy the generous yield is closing, though, remains the big question. Either way, it’s not hard to see why smart value investors are starting to give the name a closer look, especially as tech starts getting choppier as September — a historically rough month for markets — approaches.

In any case, the $161 billion firm seems to be priced with not much in mind as the firm looks for ways to counter the impact of the patent cliff on the horizon. Of course, it can be really difficult to value a stock, as patent expirations look to act as a drag on earnings growth. Thus far, acquisitions haven’t been the answer. And while it could take some years to fuel a sustained rebound, I do think that the latest surge of enthusiasm (and considerable hedge fund buying) is a tremendously positive sign.

Pfizer’s oncology business might be underrated The oncology business has come a long way, and the drug pipeline shows plenty of promise. That said, promise doesn’t pay the bills; something that passes all clinical trials and hits the ground running commercially does. With Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) stock skyrocketing nearly 180% in a single day on its cancer vaccine breakthrough, perhaps it’s oncology that’s returned to the spotlight.

Indeed, one of the biggest promises of AI was that it would help find a cure for cancer. As firms leverage the technology to do profound and transformative things within biotech, I do think that investors might wish to give some of the forgotten value names with robust oncological businesses, like Pfizer, a second look before their multiples rise and the heightened dividend yields begin to gravitate closer to historical averages.

While the next year or two remains uncertain for Pfizer, I do think that it has a lot that’s cooking in the late-stage pipeline. If some candidates end up going all the way, count me as unsurprised if shares of Pfizer were to suddenly rocket overnight. Perhaps not as vicious as Moderna’s pop since Pfizer is a diversified giant, but perhaps enough to fuel a sustained rally to higher levels. For now, Seagen remains one of the most intriguing engines that might help Pfizer rise, even as some key patents expire.

Could it help Pfizer leap over the patent cliff to even greater highs? Time will tell, but I do think investors who missed the Moderna move might find stronger relative value (and certainly a much higher dividend yield) with Pfizer, a firm that also has a strong cancer business and a post-COVID vaccine sales hangover of sorts.

As Pfizer’s managers look to deliver a handful of blockbuster cancer drugs in the coming years, my guess is that Pfizer might navigate its looming patent cliff far better than the expectations suggest. In other words, there’s still a relatively low bar since shares haven’t done anything in the past decade.

For years, Pfizer has been a value trap, but as things move along with the pipeline and AI helps biotech firms reach milestones (and even breakthroughs) a bit faster, my guess is that the smart money isn’t placing its bets on the name for no reason.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Key Takeaways Pfizer plans more than 20 obesity studies in 2026, including 10 phase III berobenatide trials.Berobenatide could offer monthly maintenance dosing after an initial weekly injection.Pfizer targets its first potential berobenatide approval in 2028, but faces high execution risk. The global obesity market is emerging as one of the largest growth opportunities in pharmaceuticals. The market is projected to grow dramatically, reaching nearly $114 billion by 2030, according to Goldman Sachs estimates. At present, Eli Lilly’s (LLY - Free Report) Zepbound and Novo Nordisk’s (NVO - Free Report) Wegovy are the most popular GLP-1 drugs used to treat obesity.

To take a share of this market, Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) has made a significant strategic move to participate through its 2025 acquisition of Metsera and development of a broad obesity pipeline. Pfizer’s obesity portfolio includes injectables with the potential for monthly or longer dosing, once-daily orals and other novel combinations

The most important asset added from the Metsera deal is berobenatide (MET-097i), a long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist that is in phase III development for chronic weight management.

While Zepbound and Wegovy are weekly injections, berobenatide starts off as a weekly injection and then switches to a monthly injection. Berobenatide is designed for monthly maintenance dosing.

Data from phase IIb VESPER studies on berobenatide showed that the candidate delivers meaningful weight loss while maintaining a favorable tolerability profile following the transition from weekly to monthly dosing.

Pfizer plans an extensive phase III program for berobenatide in 2026. Pfizer plans to start more than 20 obesity studies in 2026, including 10 phase III studies for berobenatide for obesity and obesity-related comorbidities, including knee osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea. Three phase III studies on berobenatide have already begun. Pfizer plans to soon start a phase III study evaluating participants switching from approved weekly therapies to monthly berobenatide.

Pfizer is targeting the first of a series of potential approvals for berobenatide in 2028. Pfizer is also evaluating berobenatide in combination with an ultra-long-acting amylin analog, PF'3945, as a monthly medicine in phase II studies with additional data expected later this year.

Can Pfizer Carve Out a Share in the Obesity Market?Pfizer is a late entrant in the obesity market, which is heavily dominated by Lilly and Novo Nordisk. LLY and NVO already enjoy enormous commercial scale and brand recognition in the obesity space.

Moreover, to maintain their prowess in the lucrative obesity market, both Novo Nordisk and Lilly are developing several next-generation, more powerful and more convenient GLP-1-based treatments, including oral options and multi-acting candidates. Both Lilly and Novo Nordisk have also launched oral GLP-1 pills for obesity called Foundayo and Wegovy pill, respectively.

The obesity pipeline is rapidly evolving beyond traditional GLP-1 therapies. Lilly's next-generation candidate, retatrutide, which targets GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors simultaneously, has demonstrated profound levels of weight loss and improvements in A1C, cardiovascular risk factors, osteoarthritis pain and sleep apnea, across its TRIUMPH program. Lilly plans to submit the treatment to the FDA in the first quarter of 2027.

Pfizer currently trails Lilly and Novo Nordisk by several years in the obesity space. However, the obesity market is huge and can support multiple players, and even a mid-single-digit market share could translate into billions of dollars in annual revenues.

If Pfizer’s berobenatide succeeds and monthly dosing or better tolerability differentiates it from Zepbound/Wegovy, or if its next-generation oral programs prove competitive, it can take a slice of the obesity space in the long term.

Overall, Pfizer’s obesity opportunity is high potential but has high execution risk as well.

Competition Heating Up in the Obesity SpaceWhile Lilly and Novo Nordisk currently dominate this space, smaller biotechs like Structure Therapeutics and Viking Therapeutics are also developing oral GLP-1 drugs for treating obesity.

Amgen is also developing MariTide, a GIPR/GLP-1 receptor, with a monthly and maybe less frequent dosing.

Others, such as Roche, AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) and AbbVie, have strengthened their obesity pipelines through licensing deals and acquisitions involving smaller biotechs. AbbVie entered the obesity field by licensing GUB014295 (now ABBV-295), a long-acting amylin analog, from Gubra in 2025. Roche strengthened its obesity presence through the acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics and its obesity assets, such as enicepatide (previously CT-388), as well as the exclusive collaboration with Zealand Pharma, which added petrelintide, a long-acting amylin analog.

AstraZeneca’s most important obesity candidate is oral GLP-1 receptor agonist elecoglipron, which it licensed from Eccogene in 2023 and is now in phase III.

PFE’s Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates         Pfizer stock has risen 9.5% so far this year compared with an 11.9% growth of the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Pfizer appears attractive relative to the industry and is trading below its five-year mean. Going by the price/earnings ratio, Pfizer’s shares currently trade at 9.24 forward earnings, significantly lower than 18.51 for the industry as well as the stock’s five-year mean of 9.25.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share has risen from $2.96 to $2.98, while that for 2027 has increased from $2.85 to $2.93 over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Pfizer has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Berkshire Hathaway's (BRKA -1.08%) (BRKB -1.15%) second-quarter 13F is now officially filed, disclosing all the stock trades it made during the quarter, and ultimately offering a snapshot of the conglomerate's current stock portfolio.

No real surprises either. Although Berkshire was a net buyer for the first time in a long time, the additions were expansions of existing positions, or new purchases that make enough sense.

There's one name arguably worth Warren Buffett's and Greg Abel's consideration, however, that still isn't a Berkshire Hathaway holding. That's drugmaker Pfizer (PFE +0.30%). Here's why Berkshire should buy it, and why you might want to even if Abel or Buffett don't end up adding it to Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio anytime soon.

Yes, that Pfizer If you know anything at all about Pfizer, then you might disagree with the call. This pharmaceutical stock has underperformed since peeling back from its COVID-prompted peak in late 2021. In fact, it's gone nowhere since early 2024, unable to offset the massive revenue decline resulting from the wind-down of the coronavirus pandemic. The company wasn't able to do a great deal of developmental work during that period; shareholders have paid the price in the meantime.

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Now take a step back and take an intellectually honest look at the bigger picture.

While not perfect (no prospective investment is), the market may be so fixated on Pfizer's recent past that it's struggling to see its plausible future. Through a handful of acquisitions like the purchase of Arena Pharmaceuticals in 2022, its 2023 deal for Seagen, and the acquisition of Metsera in 2025, the company's reloaded its pipeline. It's particularly got a bunch of new oncology drugs like Seagen's Padcev and Tivdak, and hopes to leverage its current portfolio of drugs and new know-how to develop at least eight new blockbuster (annual revenue in excess of $1 billion) cancer treatments by 2030.

Meanwhile, its deal for Metsera puts it deep in the GLP-1 weight-loss-drug race with a potential option that's distinctly different than most others already on the market. Namely, rather than a weekly dose, Pfizer's PF-08653944 (MET-097i) currently advancing into phase 3 trials would only require a monthly injection. This gives the drugmaker a chance at winning a piece of an anti-obesity market that Mordor Intelligence expects to grow at an average yearly rate of 31% through 2031, when it should be worth more than $130 billion.

The problem? Investors won't really start seeing the fruit of all of these acquisitions and Pfizer's ongoing R&D work until nearer 2030. Several of its current drugs, including blockbusters like its blood-thinning Eliquis and cancer-fighting Ibrance, will lose their patent protection in the meantime.

We may be seeing glimmers of the company's imminent replacement of its aging drug portfolio sooner than investors were anticipating, however. In its recently released Q2 report, Pfizer upped its full-year revenue outlook from a previous range of $59.5 billion to $62.5 billion to a new range of between $60.5 billion and $62.5 billion. It's not much, but it's a start, and all long journeys start with that first small step.

Why Berkshire (and you) might want to own a stake in Pfizer So Pfizer is moving in the right direction, but why might Abel or Buffett specifically want it for Berkshire Hathaway's equity portfolio? Three reasons stand out.

1. The sizable dividend is reasonably well protected Buffett certainly doesn't mind capital appreciation. One of the key reasons Berkshire owns stocks, though, is the dividend income they generate. For instance, its $35 billion stake in Coca-Cola produces a reliable $850 million worth of annual dividends.

Pfizer could offer something similar. Berkshire would be stepping into a forward-looking dividend yield of nearly 6.5%, but perhaps more than that, plugging into a dividend more than protected enough by profits. Even though analysts expect profit to deteriorate to only $2.48 per share by 2028, that will still fully cover its current annualized payout of $1.72 without crimping the company's ability to continue funding the development of its drug portfolio. And again, much of Pfizer's recent R&D work will only start paying off in earnest shortly after that.

2. There will be a wide economic moat again Income isn't the only thing Buffett likes that Pfizer brings to the table. The Oracle of Omaha also likes companies with wide economic moats, which is to say that he looks for companies that sell a product or service that no rival can easily replicate.

Image source: Getty Images.

Broadly speaking, it's not always clear that such moats exist within the pharmaceutical industry. Oncologists have the choice of several cancer-fighting drugs, for instance, more than one of which might work well enough for a particular patient.

Nevertheless, there's no denying that plenty of drugs become a favorite for a particular purpose, or for treating several scenarios. There's room for more than one effective cancer drug, just as there's room for more than one GLP-1 weight-loss drug. If approved, Pfizer's monthly dosed PF-08653944 should cultivate its own crowd of loyal fans.

3. Pfizer stock is trading at a nice discount Last but certainly not least, Pfizer stock is a name Buffett and Abel could get behind here simply because -- priced at less than ten times next year's expected per-share earnings -- this ticker is currently trading at a deep discount.

This argument raises a philosophical question: Is this low valuation an opportunity, or a warning? Cheap stocks are cheap for a reason, after all. The crowd's probably unwilling to price Pfizer any higher than this because it's got doubts about its foreseeable future.

And it's not like analysts are on board either. Most of them only rate the stock as a hold right now, with a consensus target of $28.51 that's only 8% above this ticker's present price. That's not much apparent upside.

Don't concern yourself too much about other investors' or analysts' opinion of Pfizer's stock, though, or, for that matter, any stock. Buffett certainly doesn't. Remember, he bought a big stake in Goldman Sachs in the middle of 2008's subprime mortgage meltdown, when nobody else was interested in touching any financial stocks. Berkshire ended up making a fortune on that trade.

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Elevated Capital Advisors LLC cut its stake in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) by 53.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 21,185 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock after selling 24,066 shares during the period.

NEW YORK & LYON, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Valneva SE (Nasdaq: VALN; Euronext Paris: VLA) today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for PF-07307405, the companies' 6-valent outer surface protein A (OspA)-based Lyme disease vaccine candidate and will begin its assessment of the application. The application is based on encouraging efficacy of more than 70% observed in the Phase 3 VALOR “Vaccine A.

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Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Valneva SE (Nasdaq: VALN; Euronext Paris: VLA) today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the Marketing

Albert Bourla adds 38,000 shares. + GuruFocus.com on

Summary

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla bought 38,000 shares.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE, Financials) The pharmaceutical giant earned a new vote of confidence from its top executive. Albert Bourla bought about $1 million worth of company stock. Bourla purchased 38,000 shares at $26.34 apiece, which increased his ownership interest to 429,172 shares.

The reason people watch insider buying is that CEOs are already compensated very well based on how well the firm does, so buying shares on the open market is more interesting than receiving stock as part of a regular pay package.

The decision comes as Pfizer also seeks to persuade investors that improving operating trends and its medication pipeline can outweigh lingering concerns over growth.

Shares dropped approximately 1.2% to end at $26.31 on Wednesday. However, the acquisition itself is not significant enough to affect Pfizer's outlook for investors.

But a seven-figure investment from the CEO sends a sharper signal than another upbeat presentation or analyst remark.

The bigger question is whether Pfizer can convert increasing fundamentals and pipeline advances into sustained earnings growth.

Pfizer is recovering from post-COVID and LOE-driven declines, with recent earnings beats and an attractive valuation supporting upside potential. PFE's Q2 2026 results showed 1% operational revenue growth and a 12% EPS beat, driven by solid non-COVID sales and a robust growth portfolio. Cost Realignment Program expansions are set to deliver $7.2B in net savings by 2026 and another $2.5B through 2029, enhancing future earnings.