Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and BioNTech SE (BNTX) released positive data on their COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11 on Monday but the stock is losing ground with the broad market, adding to a five-week slide that’s already relinquished more than 16%. The decline is roughly tracking the slow rollover of U.S. Delta infections and another slowdown in daily vaccinations. Last week’s FDA advisory meeting didn’t help, with the group declining to recommend broad-based booster shots.
Pulling Back from August Breakout
The pharmaceutical giant has gained 17% so far in 2021 despite the latest downturn, with a good portion of selling pressure generated by a rotation out of pandemic plays. However, the last six months have proved how difficult it will be to transition from pandemic to endemic, especially with billions around the world still unvaccinated. Taken together with Pfizer’s bullish breakout pattern, the current decline should offer a low risk buying opportunity.
Approval for ages 5 to 11 will open eligibility to more than 50 million new vaccinations in the EU and USA. As the business partners noted on Monday, “Pfizer and BioNTech plan to share these data with the FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other regulators as soon as possible. For the United States, the companies expect to include the data in a near-term submission for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) as they continue to accumulate the safety and efficacy data required to file for full FDA approval in this age group.”
Wall Street and Technical Outlook
Wall Street consensus is surprisingly lukewarm, with a ‘Hold’ rating based upon 4 ‘Buy’, 15 ‘Hold’, and 1 ‘Underweight’ recommendation. No analysts are recommending that shareholders close positions. Price targets currently range from a low of $39 to a Street-high $61 while the stock is set to open Monday’s session on top of the median $44 target. While this placement indicates that Pfizer is fairly-valued, it’s also likely that analysts are underestimating the vaccine’s long-term revenue potential.
Pfizer topped out at 44.05 in 2018 and sold off to a six-year low during 2020’s pandemic decline. A volatile recovery finally reached the prior peak in August 2021, setting off an immediate breakout that posted an all-time high at 51.86 less than three weeks later. The pullback into September is now approaching a zone of strong support near 40, raising odds for a buy-the-dip wave that confirms the breakout and sets the stage for strong 2022 upside.
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Disclosure: the author held no positions in aforementioned securities at the time of publication.
This article was originally posted on FX Empire
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