Research and acquisitions pay off for Pfizer

Article Excerpt

PFIZER INC. $31 (New York symbol PFE; Income Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares o/s: 6.1 billion; Market cap: $189.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.6; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Highest; Dividend yield: 3.9%; www.pfizer.com) is one of the world’s leading prescription drugmakers. Its top-selling brands include Lyrica (epilepsy), Celebrex (arthritis pain), Prevnar (pneumonia) and Enbrel (rheumatoid arthritis). The company is also a leading maker of over-the-counter treatments, including Advil (pain relief), Centrum (vitamins) and Robitussin (cough syrup). LISTEN:   Five years of rising dividends Pfizer has a long history of developing successful new drugs. That has let it raise the payout each year since 2010. The current annual dividend rate of $1.20 a share yields 3.9%. The company’s revenue fell 27.5%, from $67.4 billion in 2011 to $48.9 billion in 2015. That’s mainly because it sold its nutrition division, which makes formula and other products for children. Switzerland- based Nestle S.A. paid…