Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Hits New 12-Month High – Should You Buy?

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $29.09 and last traded at $28.7470, with a volume of 8392245 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.46.

Key Stories Impacting Pfizer

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer reached a confidential settlement covering more than 6,000 federal lawsuits alleging that Depo-Provera was associated with intracranial meningioma. Although the financial terms were not disclosed and Pfizer admitted no liability, resolving the litigation removes a significant product-liability overhang and provides greater clarity for investors. Pfizer Reaches Confidential Settlement in Depo-Provera Litigation
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group Bank raised its fiscal 2026 EPS estimate for Pfizer, reinforcing the view that earnings may stabilize or improve as the company manages the post-pandemic revenue decline. Pfizer FY2026 EPS Estimate Increased by Erste Group Bank
• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer’s oncology growth plans remain a key investment theme. Padcev is the current growth leader, while additional pipeline programs, including PF-08634404, and potential label expansions could support longer-term revenue growth and help offset pressure in other parts of the business. From Padcev to PF-08634404: Pfizer’s Oncology Growth Push
• Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer is being highlighted as a high-yield, defensive stock as some investors rotate toward dividend payers amid concerns about elevated technology and artificial-intelligence valuations. The income appeal may support demand, but it also reflects the company’s slower-growth profile. 3 Stocks for Investors Who Still Believe Cash Is King
• Negative Sentiment: Pfizer continues to trail the broader S&P 500 over the past year, highlighting ongoing investor concerns about muted growth, post-COVID revenue normalization and execution risk despite moderately positive analyst expectations. Is Pfizer Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on PFE shares. Bank of America reduced their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Pfizer from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday, July 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Pfizer from $30.00 to $28.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upgraded 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. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, fourteen have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $28.28.

Pfizer Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $163.38 billion, a PE ratio of 37.70 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. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $25.62 and its 200-day moving average is $26.30.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.77 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.09. Pfizer had a net margin of 6.80% and a return on equity of 19.63%. The company had revenue of $15.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $14.40 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.78 EPS. Pfizer’s quarterly revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. Pfizer has set its FY 2026 guidance at 2.800-3.000 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The business 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 $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 24th. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 226.32%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pfizer

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PFE. Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its position in shares of Pfizer by 10.4% during the 2nd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 2,462,431 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $59,295,000 after purchasing an additional 232,528 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its stake in Pfizer by 15.7% during the 2nd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 5,482,863 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $132,365,000 after acquiring an additional 745,213 shares in the last quarter. Leuthold Group LLC purchased a new position in Pfizer during the 2nd quarter valued at about $4,887,000. North Dakota State Investment Board acquired a new position in Pfizer in the 4th quarter valued at about $5,348,000. Finally, Park National Corp OH grew its position in Pfizer by 332.1% in the 2nd quarter. Park National Corp OH now owns 242,081 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $5,829,000 after acquiring an additional 186,053 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

About Pfizer

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.