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Pfizer (PFE) Up 12.4% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?

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A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) . Shares have added about 12.4% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Pfizer due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent catalysts for Pfizer Inc. before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.

Q2 Earnings & Sales Beat Estimates

Pfizer reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share of 77 cents, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 68 cents per share. Earnings were flat year over year.

Revenues came in at $15.03 billion, up 3% from the year-ago quarter on a reported basis and 1% on an operational basis. Total revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $14.45 billion. Growth in Eliquis, Padcev, the Vyndaqel family and Lorbrena offset steep declines in COVID-19 products.
 
International revenues rose 3% on an operational basis to $6.18 billion. U.S. revenues were flat at $8.86 billion.

Excluding BioNTech-partnered Comirnaty and Paxlovid, revenues increased 5% operationally. Pfizer’s newly launched and acquired products delivered $3.2 billion in revenues and grew 18% operationally in the quarter. Excluding one-time items recorded in the second quarter of 2025, primarily related to the legacy Seagen in-line portfolio, this operational growth would have been 27%.

Adjusted selling, informational and administrative (SI&A) expenses declined 3% (operationally) in the quarter to $3.34 billion due to lower spending in corporate enabling functions. Adjusted R&D expenses rose 12% to $2.73 billion due to higher spending on oncology and obesity pipeline.

Segment Discussion

Pfizer reports its revenues under three broad sub-segments of its Biopharma operating segment — Primary Care, Specialty Care and Oncology. In first-quarter 2026, Pfizer created a new Hospital and Biosimilars Division within its Biopharma segment, moving certain off-patent brands, generic sterile injectables and biosimilars out of Specialty Care and Oncology. 

Primary Care sales declined 2% on an operational basis to $5.5 billion. Oncology revenues rose 2% to $4.17 billion, while Specialty Care sales increased 7% to $3.35 billion. Hospital and Biosimilars revenues declined 2% to $1.64 billion.

Primary Care

In Primary Care, alliance revenues and direct sales from Eliquis increased 19% to $2.43 billion as higher demand trends globally were partially offset by price and generic erosion in some ex-U.S. markets. Eliquis sales beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.98 billion.

Global Prevnar family revenues declined 4% to $1.34 billion and missed the consensus estimate of $1.39 billion. U.S. sales fell 13%, more than offsetting a 10% increase in the international market. U.S. sales declined due to lower vaccination rates in the pediatric and adult indications. International sales rose due to continued increases in demand in both the adult and pediatric indications.

Direct sales and alliance revenues from partner BioNTech for Comirnaty were $261.0 million in the quarter, down 34% year over year, missing the consensus estimate of $278 million. The decrease reflected a smaller favorable adjustment to the returns provision and lower U.S. utilization following narrower vaccination recommendations.

Paxlovid revenues plunged 95% to $21 million due to lower COVID-19 infections and reduced government purchases in some international markets. Sales fell well short of the consensus estimate of $119 million.

Nurtec ODT/Vydura contributed $421.0 million in the quarter, up 17% year over year, driven by strong demand and prescription growth. 

Among the new products, Pfizer’s RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, recorded sales of $208 million, up 43% on an operational basis, driven by launch uptake and favorable timing of deliveries in some international markets and favorable buying patterns in the United States.

Oncology

In Oncology, Ibrance revenues were flat at $1.06 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.05 billion.

Padcev sales climbed 23% to $667 million and surpassed the consensus estimate of $661 million. Padcev benefited from strong demand trends mainly due to market share gains in first-line metastatic urothelial cancer and launch momentum from the new muscle-invasive bladder cancer indication. 

Xtandi alliance revenues declined 6% to $534 million. Lorbrena revenues rose 37% to $354 million, driven by market share gains in the first-line ALK-positive metastatic NSCLC treatment setting in the United States, China, and some other international countries. Adcetris sales fell 23% to $196 million. Inlyta revenues decreased 12% to $218 million. Braftovi/Mektovi revenues rose 23% to $223 million.

New drug, Elrexfio, generated sales of $89 million in the quarter, up 5% year over year.

Pfizer's Specialty Care and Hospital Sales

Vyndaqel family revenues increased 8% to $1.76 billion, slightly exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.75 billion. The Vyndaqel family includes global revenues from Vyndaqel as well as revenues from Vyndamax in the United States and Vynmac in Japan. Growth reflected continued patient diagnosis and improved access in international markets, along with U.S. market expansion, which partially offset the impact of price erosion as a result of new payer contracts in the United States.

Xeljanz sales declined 23% to $251 million, while Enbrel revenues fell 10% to $142 million. Cibinqo sales rose 34% to $94 million. 

Within Hospital and Biosimilars, oncology biosimilar sales increased 1% to $359 million, and Inflectra revenues rose 23% to $171 million.

2026 Guidance

Pfizer raised the lower end of its 2026 revenue guidance, backed by continued strong performance of its new and acquired products. The company now expects revenues between $60.5 billion and $62.5 billion, compared with the previous range of $59.5 billion to $62.5 billion. The range indicates a decline from 2025 revenues of $62.6 billion due to lower revenues from COVID products and loss of revenues from the upcoming patent cliff. 

The revised outlook reflects approximately $1.5 billion of better-than-expected non-COVID product performance, partly offset by a $1 billion reduction in expected COVID-19 product revenues. Pfizer now expects around $4 billion from COVID-19 products in 2026, lower than the prior expectation of around $5 billion.

Paxlovid demand is expected to be limited due to low COVID infection levels. Meanwhile, most sales of Comirnaty are expected later in the year, in line with the seasonal vaccination period.

The adjusted earnings guidance was reaffirmed at $2.80-$3.00 per share. However, the guidance now absorbs a 10 cents per share charge related to its licensing deal with Chinese biotech Innovent Biologics that will be recorded in the third quarter of 2026.

Adjusted gross margin is expected to be in the mid-70s range, similar to the past several years. Adjusted R&D expenses are expected to be in the range of $10.5 billion to $11.5 billion in 2026, while adjusted SI&A spending is targeted between $12.5 billion and $13.5 billion. The adjusted effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 15% in 2026. 

Pfizer also said it expects additional cost savings of $2.5 billion, which it expects to realize from 2027 through 2029.

Pfizer remains on track to achieve approximately $5.7 billion in net savings from its ongoing cost realignment program by the end of 2026 and has expanded the initiative with an additional $1 billion in expected SG&A savings through 2029, bringing total savings from the program to about $6.7 billion through 2029. Separately, the company has expanded its multi-year manufacturing optimization program, which is now expected to generate approximately $3 billion in cumulative cost-of-goods savings by 2029. Overall, Pfizer expects approximately $9.7 billion in total net savings from its productivity enhancement initiative through 2029. 

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates review.

The consensus estimate has shifted -8.39% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Pfizer has a average Growth Score of C, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Pfizer has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.

Performance of an Industry Player

Pfizer is part of the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry. Over the past month, AbbVie (ABBV - Free Report) , a stock from the same industry, has gained 6.3%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended June 2026 more than a month ago.

AbbVie reported revenues of $16.99 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.2%. EPS of $3.65 for the same period compares with $2.97 a year ago.

For the current quarter, AbbVie is expected to post earnings of $3.86 per share, indicating a change of +107.5% from the year-ago quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -0.5% over the last 30 days.

AbbVie has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) based on the overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions. Additionally, the stock has a VGM Score of D.

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