Pfizer - Research Paper Example

The company was an instant success and by the start of the 20th century, the sales had peaked more than 3 billion dollars (Rodengen, 1999). The drugs of the company reach to almost every country of the world. Currently, the company employs more than 0.1 million people worldwide (Mennen, 2010). During the First World War, the company played an important role in supplying drugs, specially, penicillin for the Allied forces. However, towards the 1940s, penicillin, which was the prime product of the company, became a common drug and its prices went down, therefore, Pfizer decided to search for alternative drugs.

During this time, the company decided to maintain a harmony between its manufacturing and research operations. It was during the 1950s and beyond that, the company focused on international expansions quickly moving to attractive markets such as Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Turkey, United Kingdom, and others (Rodengen, 1999). Feldene (piroxicam) became the first medicine of Pfizer, which was able to hit the 1 billion sales mark in the United States. Despite the fact that the company has suffered from four legal claims from the US Department of Justice, which have created fines, which remain largest for any health care company in the United States, the company still appears to be in good financial shape and sufficient liquidity as well (Mennen, 2010).

“Lipitor Lyrica, Celebrex, Norvasc, Viagra, Xalatan/Xalacom, Detrol/Detrol LA, Zyvox, Geodon/Zeldox, Sutent, and Genotropin are the highest revenue generating drugs for the company” (Pfizer, 2011). Currently, Ian Read, who serves as the President and the Chief Executive Officer of the company at the same time, is leading the company. For the last year of 2010, Pfizer has a gross profit margin of 76.81 percent and a net profit margin of 12.56 percent. With more than 7.9 billion shares outstanding, it has a market capitalization of 165.

29 billion US dollars (Pfizer, 2011). Currently, as of the last financial reports of 2010, the company appears to be in good financial shape when the market place is suffering from a financial crunch. Towards the end of the year 2010, the company declared that it would pay a dividend of 20 cent per common stock for the first quarter of 2011 (Msn Money, 2011). This is an 11 percent increase from last year and would be the 289th consecutive dividend payout, which is a manifestation of the company’s commitment with its shareholders and earning them a decent return on their investment (Sander, 2010).

Another poof of company’s good financial health is the recent wave of merges and acquisitions, which would definitely improve the industry structure by decreasing the rivalry and making the company an even bigger giant. In January 2009, Pfizer acquired Wyeth, a strong rival for around sixty-eight billion US dollars (Sander, 2010). This remains the second biggest merger in the corporate history and makes Pfizer the largest pharmaceutical company on the globe. Pfizer also agreed to buy “King Pharmaceuticals in the fall of 2010 for 3.

6 billion US dollars, which is nearly 40 percent premium considering the last share price” (Pfizer, 2011). Pfizer was the only company in the year 2009 to introduce 14 new blockbuster products and according to the reports of 2010,