NEW YORK, July 2, 2026, 16:02 EDT
- Pfizer Inc. NYSE:PFE was up 2.1% late Thursday at $24.37, ahead of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) but still lagged other big drug stocks.
- The $0.43 dividend each quarter comes out to nearly 7.1% annualized at the late-day price.
- The U.S. House China panel told Pfizer and other pharma firms they have until July 17 to turn over China clinical-trial data.
- NYSE markets will be shut Friday, July 3, for the Independence Day holiday.
Pfizer Inc. NYSE:PFE moved higher late Thursday, but there was too much noise in the market to call the move a clear Pfizer recovery. Shares traded at $24.37, up 2.1% for the day. The Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLV) climbed 2.3%. SPY fell 0.3%. Pfizer beat SPY, but couldn’t top the sector’s gain.
| Security | Late Thursday price | Day move | Market value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pfizer Inc. NYSE:PFE | $24.37 | up 2.1% | $139.7 bln |
| Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLV) | $163.17 | gained 2.3% | $36.7 bln |
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) | $743.24 | down 0.3% | $658.1 bln |
| Merck & Co. Inc. NYSE:MRK | $128.70 | rose 2.7% | $318.1 bln |
| AbbVie Inc. NYSE:ABBV | $259.65 | up 3.4% | $460.4 bln |
| Bristol Myers Squibb Co. NYSE:BMY | $57.91 | up 2.6% | $118.2 bln |
| Eli Lilly and Co. NYSE:LLY | $1,203.75 | gained 1.0% | $1.08 trln |
Prices are from around 19:47 UTC. Day moves are based on reported price change versus the previous close.
Pfizer’s dividend is weighing on investors. The company set a third-quarter dividend at $0.43 on June 24, to be paid Sept. 1 for those who own the stock by July 24. With shares at $24.37, the payout works out to $1.72 a year, giving a yield of about 7.1%. That’s still the main thing holding up a stock trading like a recovery bet, not a growth story.
The new risk is political. The U.S. House Select Committee on China said it sent a letter to Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, looking for more details on the company’s clinical drug trials in China. Public records show Pfizer backed at least six trials at hospitals in Xinjiang and at least 43 involving Chinese military medical centers, according to the committee.
Reuters said on June 30 the committee sent letters to Merck, AbbVie, Lilly, and Bristol Myers, seeking details by July 17 on due diligence, data protection and trial standards at their China sites. Pfizer confirmed it got the letter but gave no further comment, Reuters said.
| Company | China trial exposure cited by committee or Reuters | Stated response |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer Inc. NYSE:PFE | Committee points to at least 6 trials in Xinjiang and at least 43 with Chinese military hospitals or centers | Confirmed getting the letter but gave no other comment |
| Merck & Co. Inc. NYSE:MRK | Since 2005, 224 studies in China, with at least 31 in Xinjiang and 40 at military-linked locations | Said patient safety and ethics come first |
| AbbVie Inc. NYSE:ABBV | Ran more than 100 studies in China since 2007, with at least 17 in Xinjiang and 16 at military sites | Refused to comment |
This data is key for Pfizer, which has looked to China for faster drug development and more deals, though Washington has moved in the opposite direction. Alexandre de Germay, Pfizer’s chief international commercial officer, said last week that “40% of all clinical studies in oncology in the world are in China” and clinical development there can be up to three times faster and cost about half what it does in Europe. Reuters
That turns the inquiry into more than just a headline risk. If U.S. scrutiny creates hurdles for Chinese trial sites, licensing, or data, it could impact one of Pfizer’s lower-cost options to regain growth as COVID sales fall off and major patents near expiry.
Pfizer’s growth still hangs on new drugs, deals, and results from its pipeline. The company in May stuck with its 2026 revenue forecast of $59.5 billion to $62.5 billion and kept adjusted profit guidance at $2.80 to $3.00 a share. First-quarter revenue came in at $14.45 billion, ahead of estimates. J.P. Morgan’s Chris Schott said potential from the pipeline “could make the story more interesting over time.” RBC Capital’s Trung Huynh called Pfizer “a catalyst story, not an earnings story.” Reuters
FDA approves new use for Pfizer’s Ibrance in breast cancer The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on June 24 cleared Pfizer’s Ibrance for use with trastuzumab, with or without pertuzumab, plus endocrine therapy for maintenance in adults with HR-positive, HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer after induction. Pfizer said the green light followed PATINA trial data showing a 24% lower risk of disease progression.
Investors bought into big drug stocks Thursday ahead of the holiday, but it wasn’t a full Pfizer rebound. Pfizer’s late move trailed AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Bristol Myers and the health-care ETF, even with a yield around 7% and no cut to its dividend.
