Pfizer Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NYSE:PFE)

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) was the recipient of some unusual options trading on Thursday. Traders bought 445,563 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 175% compared to the average daily volume of 161,829 call options.

Pfizer Price Performance

NYSE PFE opened at $30.77 on Friday. Pfizer has a one year low of $25.20 and a one year high of $37.19. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $28.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $27.77. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 1.05.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.56 by $0.26. The firm had revenue of $14.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.87 billion. Pfizer had a positive return on equity of 8.64% and a negative net margin of 0.56%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 19.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.23 EPS. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Pfizer will post 2.38 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th will be given a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, July 26th. This represents a $1.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.46%. Pfizer’s payout ratio is -2,799.53%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PFE. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 4.7% in the 4th quarter. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC now owns 417,070 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $12,007,000 after purchasing an additional 18,611 shares during the period. LifePlan Financial LLC acquired a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 4th quarter valued at $255,000. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. acquired a new position in shares of Pfizer in the 4th quarter valued at $16,166,000. KLCM Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 75.0% in the 4th quarter. KLCM Advisors Inc. now owns 173,793 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $5,004,000 after purchasing an additional 74,487 shares during the period. Finally, First Heartland Consultants Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Pfizer by 43.3% in the 4th quarter. First Heartland Consultants Inc. now owns 13,013 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $375,000 after purchasing an additional 3,933 shares during the period. 68.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

PFE has been the subject of several recent research reports. Barclays upped their price target on Pfizer from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Pfizer from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $45.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $36.00 price objective (up from $33.00) on shares of Pfizer in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $34.50.

About Pfizer

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.