New York, May 16, 2026, 12:02 EDT
- Zoetis shares ended Friday at $74.22, off 1.67%. The stock set a new 52-week low in the session, hitting $72.38.
- Shares dropped 10.4% this week and are now off around 33% from where they closed on May 6, before losses picked up after earnings.
- The next NYSE session is set for Monday. Traders are watching if Friday’s low remains in place.
Zoetis Inc. closed the week at a fresh 52-week low. Investors now head into the weekend weighing if the animal-health group’s post-earnings slide is done or set to move lower.
The stock won’t see regular NYSE action until Monday. Heavy trading and new analyst target cuts have weighed on the name all week. The NYSE’s main session is 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern.
Zoetis ended Friday at $74.22. That’s off from $82.83 last week. Shares have dropped steeply since the first-quarter results, with the stock at $111.22 on May 6.
Zoetis shares dropped after first-quarter numbers and a guidance cut. Revenue was $2.262 billion, up 3% as reported, but no growth on an organic operational basis, which strips out currency and some M&A moves. Zoetis also lowered its 2026 revenue view to $9.680 billion to $9.960 billion, and put adjusted EPS at $6.85 to $7.00. Profit per share excludes certain items.
Zoetis CEO Kristin Peck said the quarter was “more challenging” than the company expected, citing “increased price sensitivity” among pet owners, a drop in vet visits and stiffer competition in dermatology and parasiticides. Peck said these are main businesses for Zoetis, not peripheral ones. Zoetis Investor Relations
Zoetis saw U.S. companion animal sales drop 11% for the quarter. International revenue climbed 10% organically, and livestock was more stable, but most of the reaction was about slowing pet-care and a cut to the company’s outlook.
Chief Financial Officer Wetteny Joseph told the call that “price continues to be a key differentiator.” He said global organic operational revenue would have fallen 5% if about $100 million of revenue hadn’t been moved into the quarter by fiscal-year alignment. Q4 Capital
Wall Street took a tougher view after that. William Blair’s Brandon Vazquez called the new guidance a “heavy lift” and told Investor’s Business Daily he saw “no signs of improvement” in pet-owner spending. On the company call, Vazquez pressed if the market was turning “less durable and less attractive” for Zoetis. Investors
Competition is in play. Elanco’s Zenrelia got FDA approval in 2024 as a challenger to Zoetis’ Apoquel for dog skin disease. Elanco said it would price Zenrelia about 20% below Apoquel. The company’s Credelio Quattro also moved into the parasite treatment space, where Zoetis already has Simparica Trio.
Zoetis wasn’t the only name under pressure Friday. The wider market dropped, with animal-health and diagnostics stocks also mostly lower. IDEXX Laboratories lost 0.75%. Elanco declined 8.25%. Zoetis traded close to 9 million shares, keeping volume high.
Before the bell Monday, traders look for more broker calls, early liquidity and if buyers come in near Friday’s $72.38 low. Morgan Stanley on Friday dropped its Zoetis target to $115 from $160 but kept the Overweight call, per MT Newswires.
Zoetis is expected to see choppy action in the near term with traders leaning defensive. A drop under $72.38 would push the stock into new price-discovery ground. On the other hand, regaining Thursday’s $75.48 close would suggest selling is cooling, but only in a limited way.
But the risk isn’t one-sided. If pet spending remains soft, promo pressure sticks around, or Zoetis has to lower guidance again, shares could trail more even after the sharp drop. Investors will want to see proof vet visits are steadying and that livestock and overseas gains can balance out the slower U.S. pet-care business for a better tape.
