
Pfizer stock has dropped despite its pharma leadership. This article examines the main reasons behind the decline, including COVID-19 revenue loss, patent expirations, and market changes.
Between 2020 and 2021, Pfizer stock surged — largely due to the success of its Comirnaty vaccine. But starting in 2022, the trend reversed.
Pfizer vs. Market: Price Change Overview
| Year | Pfizer | S&P 500 | Pharma Sector |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +11.2% | +16.3% | +9.7% |
| 2021 | +60.4% | +26.9% | +18.2% |
| 2022 | –13.1% | –19.4% | –3.8% |
| 2023 | –44.5% | +24.2% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | –15.2% | +9.8% | –3.1% |
After the pandemic-driven surge, market interest waned significantly. This is a major reason why Pfizer stock is so low.

Pfizer saw record earnings from its vaccine and Paxlovid in 2021–2022. But demand fell sharply post-pandemic.
| Year | COVID Revenue | Total Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $36.8B | $81.3B |
| 2022 | $56.7B | $100.3B |
| 2023 | $12.5B | $58.5B |
| 2024 | $8.0B | $63.6B |
Investors now judge Pfizer by how well it can replace COVID-related revenues — a big reason why is PFE stock down.
Several top-selling drugs are losing patent protection, paving the way for generics and revenue declines.
| Drug | Patent Expiry | 2023 Revenue | Revenue Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eliquis | 2026 | $7.2B | High |
| Ibrance | 2027 | $4.9B | Medium |
| Xeljanz | 2025–2027 | $1.7B | Medium |
Since 2022, Pfizer has acquired several biotech firms to expand its pipeline — but investor response has been mixed.
| Acquisition | Year | Price | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seagen | 2023 | $43B | Oncology |
| Arena Pharma | 2022 | $6.7B | Immunology |
| Biohaven | 2022 | $11.6B | Neurology |
Challenges:
| Metric | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $100.3B | $58.5B | $63.6B |
| EPS (Adj.) | $6.58 | $1.84 | $2.38 |
| Free Cash Flow | $29.3B | $12.4B | $14.1B |
| Dividend | $1.64 | $1.64 | $1.68 |
Massive drops in EPS and cash flow (–50%+) are key reasons why Pfizer stock is so low, despite a strong dividend.
Pfizer’s pipeline includes over 30 late-stage projects — from obesity drugs to RSV vaccines and cancer therapies.
Top prospects:
Still, the market remains skeptical about Pfizer's ability to fully offset the lost COVID revenue.
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Pfizer stock remains under pressure due to a combination of lost COVID revenue, patent cliffs, and merger-related losses. However, the company retains a stable balance sheet and is investing heavily in R&D.
Why is Pfizer stock so low? The answer lies in both external market shifts and internal strategic headwinds.
What to consider:
Pocket Option allows traders to monitor these assets in real time and act on short-term movements with flexible trade setups.
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