Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) Shares Sold by First Fiduciary Investment Counsel Inc.

First Fiduciary Investment Counsel Inc. trimmed its position in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) by 18.6% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 191,332 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after selling 43,670 shares during the period. First Fiduciary Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Pfizer were worth $5,076,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Paladin Wealth LLC lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 24.3% during the 4th quarter. Paladin Wealth LLC now owns 26,051 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $691,000 after acquiring an additional 5,096 shares during the last quarter. International Private Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Pfizer by 4.0% during the 4th quarter. International Private Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 15,182 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $403,000 after acquiring an additional 578 shares during the last quarter. Bristlecone Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 43.2% in the fourth quarter. Bristlecone Advisors LLC now owns 166,915 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $4,428,000 after purchasing an additional 50,359 shares in the last quarter. Quilter Plc lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 10.5% in the fourth quarter. Quilter Plc now owns 1,660,527 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $44,054,000 after purchasing an additional 157,298 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Opal Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 11.9% in the fourth quarter. Opal Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 10,061 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $267,000 after purchasing an additional 1,072 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Price Performance

NYSE PFE opened at $25.87 on Tuesday. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $24.48 and a fifty-two week high of $31.54. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $26.28 and its two-hundred day moving average is $27.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.00 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $146.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.64.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.63 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.48 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $17.76 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.26 billion. Pfizer had a return on equity of 19.47% and a net margin of 12.62%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.10 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 24th will be paid a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, January 24th. This is a positive change from Pfizer’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.42. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.65%. Pfizer’s payout ratio is presently 121.99%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. StockNews.com lowered Pfizer from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 20th. Truist Financial reduced their target price on Pfizer from $36.00 to $32.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. UBS Group reduced their target price on Pfizer from $31.00 to $29.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 8th. Bank of America reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $29.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price objective on Pfizer from $30.00 to $29.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pfizer currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $31.92.

Pfizer Profile

Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers medicines and vaccines in various therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular metabolic, migraine, and women's health under the Eliquis, Nurtec ODT/Vydura, Zavzpret, and the Premarin family brands; infectious diseases with unmet medical needs under the Prevnar family, Abrysvo, Nimenrix, FSME/IMMUN-TicoVac, and Trumenba brands; and COVID-19 prevention and treatment, and potential future mRNA and antiviral products under the Comirnaty and Paxlovid brands.