In recent developments, a class action lawsuit was filed against Cerevel Therapeutics, Bain Capital Investors, and Pfizer, citing alleged securities violations related to Cerevel's stock offering. This legal issue may have influenced Pfizer's recent stock activity, where shares fell 9% over the past week. Additionally, broader market dynamics played a role, as major indices plunged amidst fears of a trade war with China, affecting investor sentiment and contributing to the general downturn. While Pfizer also received marketing authorization for its RSV vaccine in Europe, these positive news items were overshadowed by the pervasive market setbacks, driving the stock decline.

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Over the last year, Pfizer's total shareholder return, which includes share price and dividends, recorded an 8.44% decline. This figure underperformed both the broader US market, which saw a 3.3% return, and the US Pharmaceuticals industry, which experienced a more modest decline of 4.3%. Contributing to this performance were several key events and developments.

Pfizer's financial health was underscored by its earnings report for the year ending December 31, 2024, which showed full-year revenue growth to US$63.63 billion and net income rising to US$8.03 billion. Despite this, investor sentiment was affected by activism, as seen in March 2025 with shareholder proposals challenging management pay. Product innovations in breast cancer and colorectal cancer treatments were met with positive regulatory news from the FDA, yet challenges persist with legal issues, including a notable lawsuit around Cerevel Therapeutics. These factors collectively influenced Pfizer's share performance over the year.

Evaluate Pfizer's historical performance by accessing our past performance report.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include NYSE:PFE.

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