Pfizer considers spinoff option

Article Excerpt

PFIZER INC. $36 (New York symbol PFE; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 6.0 billion; Market cap: $216.0 billion; Takeover Target Rating: Lowest; Dividend yield: 3.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.pfizer.com) is one of the world’s leading prescription drugmakers. The company continues to conduct a strategic review of its consumer products division. That business makes a variety of over-the-counter treatments, including Advil (pain relief), Centrum (vitamins) and Robitussin (cough syrup). In 2016, consumer products accounted for 6% of Pfizer’s $52.8 billion in revenue. Depending on the results of that review, Pfizer may opt to sell all or part of the consumer business, either to another firm or through an initial public offering. A sale would give it more cash for share buybacks or dividends; its current annual dividend rate of $1.28 a share yields 3.6%. Pfizer could also spin off the business as a separate company. Pfizer expects to complete the process in 2018. Whatever the outcome, the review helps draw investor attention…