Income Investors Face a Hard Truth About Pfizer’s Payout Safety

2 hours ago 2

Trey Thoelcke

Thu, March 26, 2026 astatine 6:55 AM CDT 5 min read

Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is 1 of the astir wide held dividend stocks among status investors. The banal presently yields 6.3%, good supra astir fixed-income alternatives. But a precocious output tin beryllium a informing sign, and close present Pfizer's payout mechanics merit a hard look.

Metric

Value

Annual Dividend

$1.72/share

Dividend Yield

6.3%

Quarterly Dividend

$0.43/share

Consecutive Years of Increases

16 years (2010–2026)

Most Recent Increase

$0.42 to $0.43 (2025)

Dividend Aristocrat Status

No (cut successful 2009)

Pfizer paid $9.771 cardinal successful dividends successful FY2025 against escaped currency travel of conscionable $9.076 billion, meaning the dividend exceeded escaped currency travel by $695 million. When a institution pays retired much than it generates successful escaped cash, it indispensable gully connected reserves oregon get to money the dividend, an unsustainable signifier if it persists.

Metric

Value

Assessment

Earnings Payout Ratio (Adjusted EPS)

$1.72 / $3.22 = 53.4%

Healthy

Earnings Payout Ratio (GAAP TTM EPS)

$1.72 / $1.36 = 126.5%

Concerning

FCF Payout Ratio

$9.771B / $9.076B = 107.7%

Red Flag

Operating CF Coverage

$11.705B OCF / $9.771B dividends = 1.20x

Weak

The adjusted EPS payout ratio of 53% looks manageable, but adjusted figures exclude existent costs. On a GAAP basis, TTM diluted EPS is $1.36 against a $1.72 yearly dividend, putting the GAAP payout ratio supra 100%. This spread is mostly driven by $4.4 cardinal successful non-cash impairment charges successful Q4 2025. In 2023, the dividend exceeded FCF by $4.454 billion, a acold much terrible shortfall.

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Metric

Value

Assessment

Total Debt

$67.4 billion

Elevated

Debt-to-Equity

0.78x

Moderate

Cash connected Hand

$1.14 billion

Thin

Total Liquid Assets

$13.6 billion

Declining

Total indebtedness roseate from $63.6 cardinal successful 2024 to $67.4 cardinal successful 2025, portion liquid assets fell from $20.5 cardinal to $13.6 billion. The indebtedness load reflects Pfizer's acquisition strategy, including the Seagen oncology deal. The equilibrium expanse is tighter contiguous than during the COVID-era windfall years.

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