Franklin Resources Inc. Raises Stock Holdings in Pfizer Inc. $PFE

Franklin Resources Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) by 47.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 25,070,148 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after acquiring an additional 8,108,887 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. owned approximately 0.44% of Pfizer worth $638,787,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Peak Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pfizer by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Peak Asset Management LLC now owns 28,768 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $697,000 after buying an additional 402 shares during the last quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas increased its holdings in Pfizer by 0.6% during the third quarter. Community Bank & Trust Waco Texas now owns 66,841 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,703,000 after buying an additional 412 shares during the last quarter. CVA Family Office LLC raised its position in Pfizer by 3.3% in the third quarter. CVA Family Office LLC now owns 12,915 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $329,000 after acquiring an additional 413 shares during the period. Boltwood Capital Management raised its position in Pfizer by 0.7% in the third quarter. Boltwood Capital Management now owns 58,274 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,485,000 after acquiring an additional 420 shares during the period. Finally, Beverly Hills Private Wealth LLC boosted its stake in Pfizer by 1.5% in the third quarter. Beverly Hills Private Wealth LLC now owns 27,955 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $712,000 after acquiring an additional 421 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer Price Performance

NYSE:PFE opened at $27.30 on Thursday. Pfizer Inc. has a 52-week low of $20.92 and a 52-week high of $27.94. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $26.43 and a 200 day moving average of $25.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a quick ratio of 0.87 and a current ratio of 1.16. The firm has a market capitalization of $155.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.07 and a beta of 0.47.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.57 by $0.09. Pfizer had a return on equity of 20.48% and a net margin of 12.42%.The business had revenue of $17.56 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16.93 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.63 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.95 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 6th. Investors of record on Friday, January 23rd were given a $0.43 dividend. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.3%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 23rd. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is 126.47%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

PFE has been the subject of a number of research reports. BMO Capital Markets reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $30.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Monday. Citigroup assumed coverage on Pfizer in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $26.00 price objective on the stock. Argus raised Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $35.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a “neutral” rating and issued a $27.00 target price on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Scotiabank began coverage on Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. They issued a “sector outperform” rating and a $30.00 target price for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $28.05.

Pfizer News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: China approved Pfizer’s GLP‑1 weight‑management drug Xianweiying for long‑term use in overweight/obese adults — opens a large new commercial market and intensifies competition in the GLP‑1 class, supporting upside to revenue growth if launch execution is strong. Pfizer’s Weight Management Drug Wins China Approval
• Positive Sentiment: Pfizer completed a Phase 2 toddler study for its next‑generation pneumococcal vaccine — a positive clinical read that advances a pipeline asset with potential to drive future vaccine revenues and support longer‑term growth. Pfizer Advances Next-Gen Pneumococcal Vaccine With Completed Phase 2 Toddler Study
• Neutral Sentiment: Pfizer commentary on regulatory agility — company regulatory lead outlines strategies to navigate shifting approval environments; useful for long‑term program risk management but unlikely to move the stock near‑term. Be nimble, be ready: how to tackle regulatory uncertainty in clinical trials
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation pieces (Yahoo/Seeking Alpha) debate whether Pfizer’s current price captures post‑pandemic pipeline and patent risks — these analyses reinforce mixed investor views: stable cash flows and dividends vs. legacy product cliffs and pipeline uncertainty. Does Pfizer (PFE) Offer Value After Post Pandemic Pipeline And Patent Concerns
• Negative Sentiment: Patent/legal developments in the sector affected peers and related stocks — a patent “shake‑up” around tafamidis helped BridgeBio trade higher, illustrating ongoing IP risk and competitive uncertainties that can indirectly pressure Pfizer where patent battles exist. Why BridgeBio Leapfrogged Its 50-Day Line On Pfizer’s Patent Shake-Up
• Negative Sentiment: Sector headlines (e.g., BioNTech leadership changes) are creating rotation and volatility in vaccine/biotech names; while not directly about Pfizer, this can weigh on sentiment for large pharma stocks during risk‑off moves. BioNTech Cofounders To Step Down. Stock Crumbles.

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.