Topic: Growth Stocks

U.S. stocks: Pfizer builds up drug pipeline to replace Lipitor

Patent production continues to be a crucial issue for major drug companies. The expiration of a patent and the entry of a key drug into the public domain is a challenge for those U.S. stocks in the pharmaceutical industry hat have prospered thanks to the sales of a popular drug.

Pfizer Inc., New York symbol PFE, makes Lipitor, a leading cholesterol drug. However, the U.S. patent for Lipitor expired in June 2011. That will let rival drug makers sell cheaper, generic versions of this drug.

Even so, Pfizer has several new promising drugs in its pipeline, including Eliquis, a new anti-stroke drug that Pfizer developed along with another well-known U.S. pharmaceutical firm, Bristol-Meyers Squibb Co. (New York symbol BMY).

There is another drug moving through this U.S. stock’s pipelineas well. The Food and Drug Administration has also approved Xalkori, Pfizer’s new drug for the treatment of lung cancer.

Currently, Pfizer trades at just 7.9 times its forecast 2011 earnings of $2.24 a share. The company spends 14% of its revenue on research. That comes out of its current earnings, so this U.S. stock’s true price to earnings ratio is actually somewhat lower.

Pfizer pays adividend of $0.80 which currently yields 4.4%.

We updated our advice on Pfizer in our September 2, 2011, Wall Street Stock Forecaster hotline, You can view it immediately view when you take a 1-month free trial to Wall Street Stock Forecaster, our newsletter written especially for Canadian investors who want find profitable U.S. stocks with a substantial margin of safety. Click here to get started right away.

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