The double upgrade removes a major bearish outlier but does not offer a new upside catalyst. Traders should treat this as a neutral-to-slightly-positive signal; the unchanged target and mixed institutional/short interest data argue against chasing the stock until a clearer fundamental catalyst emerges.
Price Chart
Executive Summary
RBC Capital double-upgraded Pfizer from Underperform to Sector Perform, maintaining a $25 price target, which sits roughly 3% below the current price of $25.70. The upgrade reflects a less bearish view, though the unchanged target indicates limited near-term upside conviction. Consensus is deeply mixed at 42% Buy, 50% Hold, and 8% Sell across 36 analysts, with a mean target of $29.19 offering 13.6% implied upside. The median target is $28, while the low is $24, placing RBC's target at the bottom quartile. RBC's historical accuracy is 55% on over 4,100 calls with a 2.7% average return — above average among covering firms but not top tier. Analyst activity over the past 30 days shows only this upgrade and no downgrades, while EPS revisions are roughly balanced (30-day: 7 up/7 down for the next quarter, 12 up/7 down for the fiscal year). No insider trades were reported, and short interest is elevated at a 55.4% ratio. The double-upgrade from a previously bearish firm is a modest positive signal, but the unchanged target and mixed cross-platform data temper conviction. For active traders, the call is a tactical neutral-to-slightly-positive signal rather than a strong directional catalyst.
Impact Score
Consensus & Targets
Among 36 analysts covering PFE, the breakdown is 6 Strong Buy, 9 Buy, 18 Hold, 2 Sell, and 1 Strong Sell. That translates to 42% Buy-ratings, 50% Hold, and 8% Sell. The consensus leans neutral with a notable bearish tail, reflecting ongoing uncertainty about Pfizer's growth drivers post-COVID.
The current price is $25.70. The mean price target is $29.19, median $28, high $36, and low $24. Implied upside to the mean is 13.6%. RBC's $25 target is below the mean and median, and just above the consensus low—placing it among the most bearish targets on the Street.
Recent Analyst Activity
| Date | Firm | Action | Rating | Price Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-10 | RBC Capital | upgrade | Sector Perform | $25.00 |
| 2026-04-29 | Citigroup | maintain | Neutral | $27.00 |
| 2026-04-20 | RBC Capital | reiterate | Underperform | $25.00 |
| 2026-04-16 | CICC | initiate | Outperform | $33.00 |
| 2026-04-13 | UBS | maintain | Neutral | $27.00 |
| 2026-04-10 | Morgan Stanley | maintain | Equal-Weight | $28.00 |
| 2026-04-09 | B of A Securities | maintain | Neutral | $26.00 |
| 2026-03-24 | Guggenheim | maintain | Buy | — |
| 2026-03-17 | HSBC | maintain | Buy | — |
| 2026-03-02 | Argus Research | upgrade | Buy | — |
Over the past 30 days, analyst activity shows 1 upgrade (RBC) and 0 downgrades. EPS revision trends are mixed: over the last 30 days, the next-quarter EPS saw 7 upward and 7 downward revisions, while the fiscal-year EPS had 12 up and 7 down. Estimates are roughly stable, with a slight positive tilt for longer horizons.
Firm Track Record — RBC Capital
RBC Capital accuracy: 55% on 4173 calls | avg return: 2.7%
Industry benchmark: mean 51% ± 11%. Top tier: ≥61% (mean + 1σ). Based on 7 firms with ≥5 scored calls.
| Firm | Accuracy | Calls | Avg Return | vs Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley | 71% | 5/7 | 4.2% | top tier |
| B of A Securities | 67% | 2/3 | -0.1% | top tier |
| Cantor Fitzgerald | 59% | 10/17 | 1.8% | above average |
| Citigroup | 50% | 1/2 | -5% | below average |
| Barclays | 50% | 1/2 | -1.2% | below average |
| Guggenheim | 40% | 2/5 | -1.4% | below average |
| UBS | 40% | 2/5 | -2.7% | below average |
RBC Capital has a 55% accuracy rate (2,282 correct calls out of 4,173 scored) with an average return of 2.7% on its rated stocks. This is above-average among firms covering PFE, where the top tier includes Morgan Stanley (71% on 7 calls) and BofA Securities (67% on 3 calls), while the weakest are Guggenheim (40%) and UBS (40%). RBC's accuracy is solid but not standout, so the double upgrade carries moderate weight.
Earnings Estimates
| Period | EPS Est. | EPS Range | Revenue | Revisions (7d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1q | $0.85 | $0.65 — $0.96 | $16.1B | ↑1 ↓0 |
| +1y | $2.84 | $2.43 — $3.10 | $59.3B | ↑1 ↓0 |
| 0q | $0.68 | $0.61 — $0.76 | $14.4B | ↑1 ↓0 |
| 0y | $2.96 | $2.80 — $3.12 | $61.7B | ↑1 ↓0 |
Cross-Platform Signals
No insider trades were recorded. Congressman Ro Khanna reported a small buy ($1K-$15K). Institutional activity is mixed: Norges Bank both initiated and exited large positions, Two Sigma more than doubled its stake (up 2,735%), Renaissance Technologies exited entirely, and Cullen Capital trimmed 38%. Short interest is elevated at 55.4% of volume, indicating significant bearish positioning. The lack of insider buying alongside an upgrade from a previously bearish firm creates a divergence; the high short interest could fuel a squeeze but also reflects persistent skepticism.
Investment Themes
Documents Analyzed
Report based on filing metadata.
Filters
| Type | Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug 13, 2026 7w ago | Court Ruling | $26.80 $27.72 | ▲ +3.43% | ▲ +5.18% | $27.59 (+2.95%) |
Aug 12, 2026 7w ago | Insider Buy | $26.80 $27.72 | ▲ +3.43% | ▲ +5.18% | $27.59 (+2.95%) |
Aug 12, 2026 7w ago | Insider Cluster | $26.80 $27.72 | ▲ +3.43% | ▲ +5.18% | $27.59 (+2.95%) |
Aug 6, 2026 8w ago | Insider Cluster | $26.20 $28.81 | ▲ +9.95% | ▲ +9.35% | $27.59 (+5.31%) |
Aug 5, 2026 8w ago | Insider Cluster | $26.20 $28.81 | ▲ +9.95% | ▲ +9.35% | $27.59 (+5.31%) |
Aug 4, 2026 8w ago | 8-K | $25.41 $28.55 | ▲ +12.36% | ▲ +13.60% | $27.59 (+8.58%) |
Jul 31, 2026 9w ago | Court Ruling | $25.01 $27.96 | ▼ −11.80% | ▼ −8.81% | $27.59 (−10.32%) |
Jul 24, 2026 10w ago | Court Ruling | $24.54 $28.07 | ▲ +14.38% | ▲ +10.76% | $27.59 (+12.43%) |
Jul 6, 2026 12w ago | ANALYST-DOWNGRADE | $23.72 $25.01 | ▼ −5.44% | ▼ −6.00% | $27.59 (−16.32%) |
Jun 18, 2026 15w ago | 8-K | $25.21 $25.14 | ▼ −0.28% | ▼ −0.81% | $27.59 (+9.44%) |
US Market Status
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