Thanks for joining DividendStocks.com, the daily newsletter built for dividend and income investors like you. We’re thrilled to have you on board and can’t wait to help you discover the best dividend opportunities out there. Before we can start sending your daily insights, please take a quick moment to confirm your subscription: Click Here to Confirm Your Subscription to DividendStocks.com Here’s a small glimpse of what you’ll get access to: Dividend Stock Ideas — Each newsletter features dividend stocks with high yields, sustainable payouts, and strong growth potential. Ex-Dividend Stocks — Want to capture upcoming dividend payouts? Find out which stocks are going ex-dividend this week. Market News and Events — Stay in the loop on the latest developments impacting popular dividend names like AT&T, Exxon Mobil, IBM, Procter & Gamble, and Verizon. Bonus: As a thank-you for confirming, you’ll also receive a free PDF copy of Automatic Income, our popular guide to building wealth through dividend investing. Why wait? Let’s get your dividend journey started! Click Here to Start Discovering Top Income-Generating Stocks See you in your inbox soon,
The DividendStocks.com Team P.S. Don’t miss out click here to verify your subscription and secure your daily dividend insights and your free investing guide!
Featured News from MarketBeat Media Pfizer Adds to Its Big Bet on Weight Loss DrugsWritten by Jordan Chussler. Published 12/16/2025. 
Key Points - The health care sector has led the S&P 500 over the three months, but Pfizer has lagged of late, slipping 5% since the start of October.
- As the Big Pharma company continues to struggle to replace COVID-19 vaccine revenue, it is heavily learning into the semaglutide and GLP-1 weight loss drug trend.
- Last week, the company signed a $2.1 billion licensing agreement with a Chinese pharma company to develop its early-stage weight loss pill.
Health care stocks have led the S&P 500's 11 sectors over the past three months, gaining 11.55%. Unfortunately for some investors, that rally has not included all of the Big Pharma mainstays. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), the maker of Chantix, Eliquis and Paxlovid, has seen its shares slide about 5% since the start of October. By comparison, other mega-cap pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: REGN), and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) are up roughly 14%, 24%, and 25%, respectively, over the same period. A growing number of investors are questioning how much of the market is now concentrated in just a handful of mega-cap stocks.
In a recent interview, a veteran investor discusses why this concentration matters, how he's structured his own portfolio to reduce reliance on Big Tech, and the framework he believes can deliver competitive returns with lower volatility across market cycles. Watch the full interview here And despite Pfizer making headlines on Nov. 13 after acquiring obesity biotech Metsera in a $10 billion deal, the stock has moved only modestly — gaining 0.23% since then. The nearly 177-year-old biopharma company is again looking to expand its role in the weight loss drug market, with management and shareholders hoping that the strategy can help offset declining revenue from mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. Pfizer Looks to Gain Market Share After Enormous Deal With YaoPharma On Tuesday, Dec. 9, Pfizer struck a $2.1 billion licensing deal with China's YaoPharma to develop a GLP-1 weight loss pill that is in early-stage development. The drug works similarly to Wegovy, the game-changing weight loss injection from competitor Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO). News of a yet-to-be-approved pill may not move the stock in the short term, but it does reflect Pfizer's commitment and momentum in the obesity treatment market. The agreement includes a $150 million upfront fee paid by Pfizer to YaoPharma's parent company, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical, which has an $8.4 billion market cap. Additionally, Pfizer could pay YaoPharma up to $1.94 billion in milestone payments if the drug progresses toward approval, plus royalty payments on sales if and when it reaches the market. Those milestone payments are contingent on YaoPharma successfully navigating the weight loss pill through phase one trials; Pfizer will assume control of later-stage development. Pfizer also plans to conduct combination studies — currently in mid-stage development — pairing YaoPharma's pill with Pfizer's GIP gut hormone receptor agent, a dual-target approach similar to what Eli Lilly is pursuing with Zepbound and Mounjaro (targeting both GLP-1 and GIP). Pfizer Is Positioning Itself for the Future of the Weight Loss Drug Market The deal underscores how aggressively Pfizer's executive team is pursuing a larger, long-term role in the GLP-1 and broader obesity treatment market. Pfizer's leadership has shown a willingness to invest roughly $10.1 billion over the past month as it targets a rapidly growing industry. Forecasts from market analysis firm Grand View Research suggest the GLP-1 weight loss drug market could grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.54% from 2025 to 2030, rising from under $14 billion this year to an estimated $48.84 billion by 2030. Grand View Research found that North America accounts for the largest revenue share, with more than 75% of the GLP-1 agonists market. While other obesity interventions exist — including lifestyle changes and bariatric surgery — GLP-1 drugs remain the preferred option among many physicians and patients. Patient Investors Can Enjoy PFE's Sizable Dividend Shareholders are hoping Pfizer's push into the weight loss market pays off after the stock has declined more than 31% over the past five years. Much of that drop stems from waning COVID-vaccine sales, which caused revenue growth to swing from more than 95% at the end of 2021 to a decline of over 41% by the end of 2023. Last year, Pfizer rebounded marginally, with revenue rising nearly 7%. At the same time, the stock's dividend has eased some investor concerns. Pfizer remains a strong dividend payer with a current yield of 6.65% — $1.72 per share annually. That payout has increased for 16 consecutive years, though a payout ratio near 100% raises questions for some investors. For those content to prioritize income and willing to take a speculative position on the near- and mid-term outlook for prescription weight loss drugs, Pfizer will continue to provide yield while participating in the GLP-1 market. However, growth-focused investors may be reluctant to tolerate another year of lackluster performance. Analysts' average 12-month price target implies roughly 10% potential upside from the current price and comes with a consensus Hold rating. Meanwhile, short interest has been steadily rising as the stock attracts Wall Street bears. Currently, about $3.58 billion worth of the float is shorted — nearly 84% more than PFE's short position at the end of January 2025.
| 
