Pfizer Rises 0.24% Amid Legal and Clinical Setbacks, Trading Volume Ranks 92nd

On August 20, 2025, Pfizer (PFE) rose 0.24% to $25.33, with a trading volume of $0.97 billion, ranking 92nd in the market. The stock’s performance came amid ongoing legal and clinical challenges. Enanta Pharmaceuticals filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the European Union’s Unified Patent Court, alleging Pfizer’s Paxlovid antiviral infringes on its European Patent No. EP 4 051 265. This follows a similar U.S. lawsuit dismissed in December 2024, which Enanta plans to appeal. The case could impact Paxlovid’s $1.2 billion 2024 revenue stream, though Pfizer maintains confidence in its intellectual property.

Compounding the legal pressure, Pfizer reported a Phase III trial failure for a sickle cell disease candidate acquired in 2022. The drug, part of a $5.4 billion deal, had been a key growth hope for the company’s oncology division. Despite strong Q2 2025 results—driven by 71% growth in Paxlovid sales and 95% higher Comirnaty vaccine revenue—the setbacks highlight risks in its R&D pipeline. Analysts note the dual challenges may weigh on investor sentiment, though the stock’s modest rise suggests market confidence in its broader portfolio and capital allocation strategy.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day from 2022 to 2025 yielded a 31.52% total return, with an average 0.98% daily gain. This indicates limited short-term momentum capture amid market volatility and timing risks.