Optas LLC Grows Stock Holdings in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)

Optas LLC grew its holdings in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) by 25.5% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 10,044 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,043 shares during the quarter. Optas LLC’s holdings in Pfizer were worth $279,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. GoalVest Advisory LLC raised its position in shares of Pfizer by 304.9% during the 4th quarter. GoalVest Advisory LLC now owns 1,077 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 811 shares during the period. Creekmur Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC raised its position in shares of Pfizer by 100.0% during the 1st quarter. Trivant Custom Portfolio Group LLC now owns 1,200 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 600 shares during the period. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC raised its position in shares of Pfizer by 52,350.0% during the 3rd quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC now owns 1,049 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 1,047 shares during the period. Finally, Tennessee Valley Asset Management Partners purchased a new stake in shares of Pfizer during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $36,000. 68.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pfizer Stock Performance

NYSE:PFE opened at $27.98 on Monday. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $27.90 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $27.69. The company has a market cap of $158.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -466.26, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.10 and a beta of 0.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. Pfizer Inc. has a 52 week low of $25.20 and a 52 week high of $37.80.

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.82 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.56 by $0.26. The business had revenue of $14.88 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.87 billion. Pfizer had a negative net margin of 0.56% and a positive return on equity of 8.64%. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 19.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.23 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Pfizer Inc. will post 2.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Pfizer Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 3rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, July 26th will be paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, July 25th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.00%. Pfizer’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is -2,799.53%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Pfizer from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $45.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. Argus downgraded shares of Pfizer from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, March 22nd. Finally, BMO Capital Markets reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $36.00 target price (up previously from $33.00) on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $35.54.

Pfizer Company 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.