Pfizer's Q4 2024: Beating Expectations, Facing Challenges

Pfizer recently shared its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings. Their reported sales for COVID-19 products skyrocketed beyond what experts had guessed. This achievement was made possible by the company’s ongoing efforts to reduce costs. Shares of Pfizer went up by 2% in early trading. This jump came after they reported earnings, with results that were much better than Wall Street's predictions. Pfizer also posted a net income of $410 million for the quarter. This is a significant improvement from the previous year's loss of $3. 37 billion during the same period. The per-share adjusted earnings also outperformed expectations, coming in at 63 cents instead of 46 cents. This was after making adjustments for certain expenses, including restructuring costs. Pfizer’s revenue for the fourth quarter was $17. 76 billion. This is a 22% increase from the previous year. The company is looking to continue this positive momentum in 2025. Pfizer is forecasting sales between $61 billion and $64 billion for the full year 2025. However, they have mentioned a possible hit of $1 billion due to changes in the Medicare program. Pfizer's long-term prosperity remains a key issue for investors. They are also looking at the company's pipeline of new drugs. One area that'll grab their attention is Pfizer's possible breakthrough in the weight loss drug market. The company is working on a once-daily version of its experimental obesity pill, danuglipron. If successful, this could open up a new revenue stream. Another point of interest is the ongoing situation with activist investor Starboard Value. At the moment, it looks like Pfizer has dodged a potential proxy battle. This was possible because the deadline for nominating board members for 2024 has passed. Starboard Value, which owns $1 billion in Pfizer stocks, had left open the possibility of shaking things up. The next few years will be crucial for Pfizer. They need to adjust to the decreasing demand for COVID-19 products and continue to innovate in new markets. The company's ability to weather these changes could greatly impact its future success.