AbbVie Inc.

New York Stock Exchange
Back to all articles
Bullish +65

Pfizer or AbbVie: Which Big Pharma Stock Is the Better Pick?

Acquisition Drug approval Licensing agreement AI-generated analysis

📈 AbbVie expects combined Skyrizi and Rinvoq sales of more than $31 billion in 2026, representing over 20% growth for the year.

💊 Pfizer faces a significant patent cliff later this decade with key products like Eliquis and Xeljanz facing expirations expected to hurt sales by approximately $1.1 billion in 2026.

📉 AbbVie's stock has jumped 16.0% year-to-date, outperforming Pfizer's 13.2% gain and trading at a forward P/E of 17.01 versus Pfizer's 9.56.

🔬 Pfizer plans an extensive phase III program for berobenatide, targeting the first potential approval in 2028 to drive growth in obesity and related comorbidities.

📊 Zacks consensus estimates for AbbVie imply a 40.5% increase in 2026 earnings, while Pfizer's estimates suggest a slight decrease of 7.5%.

🏥 AbbVie is bolstering its pipeline with the recent acquisition of Apogee Therapeutics to strengthen late-stage immunology assets.

⚠️ AbbVie faces near-term headwinds including Humira biosimilar erosion and soft sales in its Aesthetics unit due to macroeconomic challenges.

📈 Pfizer expects high single-digit revenue CAGR starting from year-end 2028 as it recovers from the decline of COVID-related products.

💰 AbbVie offers a dividend yield of 1.9%, while Pfizer provides a significantly higher yield of 6.1%.

Bullish Signals
  • AbbVie expects combined Skyrizi and Rinvoq sales of more than $31 billion in 2026, with the drugs generating $14.6 billion in sales in the first half alone.
  • The company expects total revenues to rise around 10% in 2026, backed mainly by significant momentum in immunology and neuroscience products delivering share gains.
  • AbbVie's stock has jumped 16.0% year-to-date, outperforming the industry return of 12.7% and Pfizer's 13.2% gain.
  • The company boasts a robust pipeline with important data readouts, regulatory submissions, and approvals expected over the next couple of years.
  • AbbVie has successfully navigated Humira's loss of exclusivity by launching two other successful new immunology medicines that are performing extremely well.
Risk Factors
  • The launch of J&J's new oral pill Icotyde has increased competitive pressure for Skyrizi, which can impact the product's prescription trends.
Full Analysis
Zacks Investment Research compares Pfizer (PFE) and AbbVie (ABBV), concluding that AbbVie currently offers a more attractive opportunity based on fundamentals. The analysis highlights AbbVie's successful navigation of Humira's loss of exclusivity, with its newer immunology drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq generating over $14.6 billion in sales in the first half of 2026 and expected to reach combined sales above $31 billion for the full year. AbbVie is projected to deliver more than 20% growth in 2026, supported by strong momentum in immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and aesthetics. The company expects total revenues to rise around 10% in 2026, driven by share gains in growing markets for its core franchises. Conversely, Pfizer faces a significant patent cliff later this decade with key products like Eliquis and Xeljanz facing expirations, expected to hurt sales by approximately $1.1 billion in 2026. While Pfizer's stock has risen 13.2% year-to-date, AbbVie has jumped 16.0%, trading at a forward P/E of 17.01 compared to Pfizer's 9.56. Analyst consensus estimates for AbbVie imply a 40.5% increase in 2026 earnings, whereas Pfizer's estimates suggest a slight decrease. Despite both stocks holding a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), the article favors AbbVie due to its visible growth profile and ability to offset blockbuster declines with new product launches.