Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Johnson&Johnson, Moderna. 3 years ago, the names of these pharmaceutical giants were widely mentioned around the world, and their shares reached evidence values on the stock market, linked to massive government contracts for the production of COVID-19 vaccines. However, the situation has now been reversed. The stock value of these companies fell below the level from a fewer years before the pandemic.
The COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers entered into agreements with governments, committing to presume work for possible harm caused by adverse post-vaccination reactions (NOPs). This script is presently under way. The number of lawsuits related to undesirable post-vaccination effects is increasing, and paradoxically, it is not pharmaceutical companies that are sued, but state lawyers.
Despite these difficulties, the stock values of all 4 companies on the stock marketplace have fallen for months. The most hard situation affects Pfizer, whose share value dropped below $28, which means the lowest level since March 2016, although any rebounds were recorded by 2 percent on Tuesday. In December, Pfizer was the world's fourth-largest drug maker in terms of marketplace value, now ranked ninth. It has been noted that the Department of Justice announces recruitments for lawyers on occupation offers websites. These offers are linked to claims resulting from possible harm caused by vaccines covered by the Act. The capacity of the office is now being expanded to meet the expanding workload associated with the increase in the number of cases filed under the Vaccines Act – we read on the website usajobs.com, notes fresh York Post.
The writer "NYP" emphasises not only the number of nearly 13,000 lawsuits relating to adverse reactions after vaccination, but besides the fact that the recruitment of lawyers occurred shortly after the filing of a suit last period in Louisiana against the national government for six reasons. This suit aims to waive the legal immunity enjoyed by pharmaceutical giants specified as Pfizer and Moderna in connection with the production of COVID-19 vaccines. Any designation of this claim would mean that these companies would gotta bear the compensation costs themselves, at least in the United States.
Why are Pfizer's ratings dropping?
At the moment, the main origin is not circumstantial factors related to the company itself. However, reductions in profits and profit forecasts are decisive. In the 3rd quarter, Pfizer recorded a net failure of as much as $2.4 billion, compared to a profit of $8.6 billion a year earlier in the same period. Over the 9 months of this year, profits fell by 79 percent compared to the erstwhile year, reaching $5.5 billion. The company's price/profit ratios are presently twice as low as the average pharmaceutical company in the USA, suggesting that investors expected importantly higher sales and profits than the manufacture average. That's where the large deal comes from.
In addition, Pfizer Inc. decreased its forecast gross for 2023 to a scope of 58-61 billion dollars last Friday, compared to an earlier scope of 67-70 billion dollars, as reported by Bloomberg.
The company besides adjusted the gross forecasts associated with its antiviral drug on COVID-19, Paxlovid, reducing them to around $7 billion from the erstwhile $8 billion.
Pfizer besides announced that by the end of this year, the U.S. government would return any 7.9 million doses of Paxlovid. This return will enable the company to start selling Paxlovid to private purchasers, at a price expected by analysts, which will be higher than the government pays.
Adjusted profits are expected to amount to $1.45-1.65 per share (US$8.2-9.3 billion), compared to the company's erstwhile forecast, which assumed a profit of $3.25-3.45 per share (18.3-19.5 billion US$). In 2022 Pfizer achieved a profit of $31.4 billion.
This is from
Pfizer's head-to-head stock. The giant spokesperson besides faces a wave of lawsuits: