Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Issues Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Expectations By $0.03 EPS

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) announced its earnings results on Tuesday. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.75 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.03, FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $14.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $13.84 billion. Pfizer had a net margin of 11.83% and a return on equity of 19.48%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.92 earnings per share. Pfizer updated its FY 2026 guidance to 2.800-3.000 EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Pfizer’s conference call:

• Pfizer exceeded Q1 expectations with $14.5B in revenues and $0.75 adjusted EPS, and management is reaffirming full‑year 2026 guidance of $59.5B–$62.5B revenue and $2.80–$3.00 adjusted EPS.
• Two legal wins — a settlement extending exclusivity on VYNDAQEL and a favorable Belgium ruling on Comirnaty EU contracts — improve post‑2028 cash flow visibility and underpin management’s expectation of a high single‑digit five‑year revenue CAGR beginning in 2029.
• Management highlighted strong commercial and R&D momentum: launched/acquired products grew ~22% in Q1, oncology assets (PADCEV, ELREXFIO) and atirmociclib reported encouraging data, and Pfizer plans ~20 pivotal starts plus 10 obesity Phase IIIs targeting first approvals in 2028.
• Near‑term risks persist — multiple upcoming loss‑of‑exclusivity events, seasonally back‑loaded COVID vaccine/PAXLOVID demand, and leverage around 2.8x — which management says may limit large share repurchases despite ~$7B BD capacity after ViiV proceeds.

Pfizer Price Performance

Pfizer stock traded down $0.20 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $26.34. 26,258,271 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 42,701,559. The company has a market cap of $149.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.10 and a beta of 0.35. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $27.16 and a two-hundred day moving average of $26.14. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Pfizer has a 12-month low of $21.97 and a 12-month high of $28.75.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 12th. Investors of record on Friday, May 8th will be paid a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 8th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 6.5%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio is presently 131.30%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have weighed in on PFE. Argus upgraded shares of Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $35.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, March 2nd. Bank of America dropped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $27.00 to $26.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 9th. Barclays began coverage on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $25.00 price target for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated a “neutral” rating and issued a $27.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Finally, Guggenheim upped their price target on shares of Pfizer from $35.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $28.74.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pfizer

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in PFE. Morgan Stanley raised its stake 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 acquiring an additional 14,342,946 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 577.5% in 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 during the period. Amundi raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 13.4% in the fourth quarter. Amundi now owns 47,063,380 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,171,879,000 after acquiring an additional 5,572,451 shares during the period. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Pfizer by 120.9% in the third quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 9,505,615 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $230,986,000 after acquiring an additional 5,202,884 shares during the period. Finally, Voloridge Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer in the fourth quarter valued at $105,709,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 68.36% of the company’s stock.

Pfizer News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Pfizer this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results beat expectations — Pfizer reported Q1 revenue of $14.45B and EPS of $0.75, above estimates, and reaffirmed full-year revenue guidance; this supports near-term cash flow and the firm’s growth trajectory. How Pfizer’s Q1 Beat, Oncology Wins and Patent Deals At Pfizer (PFE) Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Positive Sentiment: Oncology pipeline momentum — FDA approval of VEPPANU (first PROTAC degrader) and positive Phase 3 data for ELREXFIO in multiple myeloma materially strengthen Pfizer’s long‑term growth story beyond legacy COVID products. Pfizer Oncology Advances Raise New Questions For Valuation And Momentum
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend signals stability — recent coverage argues Pfizer’s ~6.5% yield is sustainable, and management messaging has eased yield‑trap concerns, which supports income‑oriented investors. Pfizer’s 6.5% Dividend Yield Looked Too Good to Be True — but Management Just Silenced the Skeptics
• Neutral Sentiment: Valuation reassessment underway — analysts and commentators are re‑valuing PFE after the Q1 beat and pipeline updates; that could support multiple expansion if execution continues, but the market is already pricing some of that progress in. A Look At Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Valuation After Q1 2026 Beat And Pipeline Progress
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views are mixed — some bullish on the new product cadence, others cautious on longer-term growth; mixed guidance from analysts can amplify intraday swings. Analysts Have Conflicting Sentiments on These Healthcare Companies: Pfizer (PFE)
• Negative Sentiment: Potential dilution risk — Pfizer filed an $8.42B employee share‑offering shelf registration (not an immediate issuance, but a source of potential future supply), which investors may view as dilutive and a pressure on near‑term share price. How Pfizer’s Q1 Beat, Oncology Wins and Patent Deals At Pfizer (PFE) Has Changed Its Investment Story
• Negative Sentiment: Some say the Q1 report was “mild” and may not satisfy skeptics — that commentary can keep selling pressure in the absence of a clear catalyst to convince doubters. Why Pfizer’s ‘Mild’ First-Quarter Report Likely Won’t Satisfy Skeptics

Pfizer Company Profile

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.