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Pfizer — 2026Q3 earnings

reported 2026-08-04

EPS $0.77 vs $0.68 est — beat

next session +1.6% (close 2026-08-04 → 2026-08-05)

Source

Press release ↗

Summary

Pfizer's quarter looks better on the adjusted line than on the GAAP one. Revenue of $15.0 billion grew 1% operationally, held down by Comirnaty and Paxlovid, while the rest of the business grew 5% and the launched and acquired products 18%. GAAP results were a small loss that reflects $4.3 billion of non-cash impairments, and on the call management tied that mainly to the SV lung-cancer Phase 3 readout and, to a lesser extent, to dropping the Oxbryta revenue projection. The revenue guidance raise comes from lifting the bottom of the range — non-COVID products running about $1.5 billion ahead offset by COVID expectations cut to about $4 billion from $5 billion — and EPS guidance was held despite absorbing the Innovent charge. Management used the call to add detail on the new 2027-through-2029 savings, to say plainly that the dividend will be maintained, and to flag that Padcev's growth pace will moderate in its current setting and that Paxlovid now simply tracks infection rates.

Earnings call

Earnings call webcast ↗

Transcript ↗

Review

From the report

Revenue of $15.0 billion grew just 1% operationally because the COVID products shrank (5% excluding Comirnaty and Paxlovid), the reported loss of $(0.04) per share against $0.77 adjusted reflects $4.3 billion of non-cash impairments, and the guidance raise lifts only the bottom of the revenue range while EPS guidance holds at $2.80 to $3.00 despite the Innovent charge.

  • Second-quarter revenue was $15.0 billion, up only 1% operationally year over year. The release's own breakdown shows where the drag sits: excluding Comirnaty and Paxlovid, revenue grew 5% operationally, and the launched and acquired products grew 18% operationally — so the COVID products pulled the headline growth rate down. show quote
    “Second-Quarter 2026 Revenues of $15.0 Billion, Representing 1% Year-over-Year Operational Growth – Excluding Contributions from Comirnaty and Paxlovid, Revenues Grew 5% Operationally – Revenues of Launched and Acquired Products (1) Grew 18% Operationally”
    source ↗
  • The two EPS figures point in opposite directions: a reported (GAAP) loss of $(0.04) per share against adjusted diluted EPS of $0.77. The release attributes the reported loss to $4.3 billion of non-cash intangible asset impairments. show quote
    “Second-Quarter 2026 Reported (4) Loss Per Share of $(0.04), and Adjusted (3) Diluted EPS of $0.77 – Reported (4) Loss Per Share Reflects $4.3 Billion in Non-Cash Intangible Asset Impairments”
    source ↗
  • The revenue guidance raise lifts only the bottom of the range: $500 million at the midpoint, to $60.5 to $62.5 billion from $59.5 to $62.5 billion. Underneath it are two moves in opposite directions — non-COVID products running approximately $1.5 billion better than expected, and COVID-19 product revenue cut to approximately $4 billion from approximately $5 billion. show quote
    “Raises full-year 2026 Revenue guidance (2) by $500 million at the midpoint to a range of $60.5 to $62.5 billion, from $59.5 to $62.5 billion previously. – The 2026 full-year Revenue guidance reflects better than expected performance of the non-COVID products by approximately $1.5 billion and the revised revenue expectation for our COVID-19 products, down to approximately $4 billion from approximately $5 billion previously.”
    source ↗
  • Adjusted diluted EPS guidance was held at $2.80 to $3.00 even though it now absorbs a $650 million acquired in-process R&D charge for the Innovent Biologics licensing agreement, to be recorded in the third quarter of 2026 at an expected unfavorable impact of approximately $0.10. show quote
    “Reaffirms full-year 2026 Adjusted (3) diluted EPS guidance (2) in a range of $2.80 to $3.00. – The 2026 Adjusted (3) diluted EPS guidance takes into consideration our strong year-to-date performance, continued confidence in our business and progress with ongoing cost improvement initiatives. – Absorbs a $650 million Acquired In-Process R&D charge related to the completed licensing agreement with Innovent Biologics, Inc. that will be recorded in the third quarter of 2026 with an expected unfavorable impact of approximately $0.10.”
    source ↗
  • Pfizer announced an additional $2.5 billion of anticipated productivity-enhancement savings from its ongoing initiatives, expected to be realized from 2027 through 2029 rather than in the current year. show quote
    “Announces Additional Anticipated Productivity Enhancement Savings of $2.5 Billion (5) Associated with Ongoing Initiatives, Expected to be Realized From 2027 Through 2029”
    source ↗

From the call

Management pinned the GAAP loss mainly on the SV lung-cancer readout (Oxbryta to a lesser extent), split the new 2027-2029 savings between SI&A and manufacturing, and the CEO stated that the dividend holds even in stretched scenarios; on products, Padcev's growth is expected to moderate in la/mUC while Paxlovid now tracks infection rates.

  • The incoming interim CFO named what drove the GAAP loss: mainly the recent Phase 3 readout for SV in second-line-plus non-small cell lung cancer and, to a lesser extent, the removal of the revenue projection for Oxbryta after discussion with the FDA. The updated forecast produced the $4.3 billion of non-cash intangible asset impairments recorded in the quarter. show quote
    “Our second quarter GAAP results reflect the impact of the recent Phase 3 readout for SV in second-line plus non-small cell lung cancer and to a lesser extent, the removal of revenue projection for Oxbryta following recent discussion with the FDA. The updated forecast resulted in $4.3 billion in non-cash intangible asset impairments recorded in the quarter.”
    source ↗
  • The incoming interim CFO broke the newly announced approximately $2.5 billion of additional 2027-through-2029 net cost savings into two parts: $1 billion from technology and simplification efforts aimed at SI&A cost, and approximately $1.5 billion from the next phase of manufacturing optimization aimed at cost of goods sold, with a portion of that expected to start being realized in 2027. show quote
    “Building on that momentum, today, we announced the expansion of our ongoing cost improvement programs, which are expected to generate approximately $2.5 billion in additional net cost savings from 2027 through 2029. We now expect $1 billion of additional net cost savings from our productivity enhancement from technology and simplification efforts designed to further reduce SI&A cost. Separately, the next phase of our multi-year manufacturing optimization program is designed to reduce cost of goods sold and deliver approximately $1.5 billion in additional net cost savings, and we expect to begin realizing a portion of this saving in 2027.”
    source ↗
  • Asked by an analyst what would have to happen for the Board to consider cutting the dividend, the CEO answered that even in the most stretched scenarios Pfizer is running it can maintain the dividend, and said it will resume growing after the LOE period. show quote
    “We feel extremely confident that we will -- even the most stretched scenarios that we are running, we will be able to maintain our dividend. So I want once and for all to make that clear to all that the dividend will be maintained and eventually through the -- after the LOE period, will be start again growing it.”
    source ↗
  • Padcev grew over 20% in Q2 and holds above 60% of new la/mUC patients, but the chief US commercial officer said its growth pace will moderate as it reaches the majority of eligible patients and prescribers in that setting, with further upside expected from muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). show quote
    “Q2 was really strong. We grew over 20%. A very big part of that is a terrific commercial execution from our Padcev team. We've driven la/mUC new patient share to now above 60%. And we're also really pleased with the uptake that we have in the MIBC setting. So far, most of that prescribing is in the neoadjuvant setting. And obviously, we expect those patients to reach adjuvant treatment over time. To your question about what to expect, we obviously think Padcev is going to be a major growth engine for us going forward. We've had very accelerated growth to date. The pace of that growth, of course, is going to moderate from here as we reach the majority of eligible patients and prescribers in la/mUC, but we'll continue to drive that opportunity. And then the upside for us will come through MIBC and continue over time.”
    source ↗
  • On the COVID shortfall, the CEO split the franchise in two: Paxlovid is now completely correlated with infection rates, which he said is what Pfizer is seeing right now, while the vaccines should be more stable regardless of how infection rates move. show quote
    “When it comes to Paxlovid, this is now completely correlated with infection rates. If someone is not infected, it's not going to need Paxlovid. And this is what we see right now. So what I want to say it is that the COVID revenues, which should split it into the vaccines and the Paxlovid and the vaccines will see more stability irrelevant of the fluctuations of the infection rates with the Paxlovid, you will see high correlation if it is a high season or low season.”
    source ↗