Pfizer vs BMY: Which Oncology Drugmaker Is a Better Choice for Now?

Globe and Mail

11 hours ago

Pharma/biotech giants Pfizer PFE and Bristol Myers BMY boast of a dominant position in the lucrative oncology space.
Oncology or cancer is one of the most sought-after areas in the pharma/biotech space. As the world at large continues to grapple with a significant increase in the number of cancer patients, the market for cancer medicines is expected to grow.
Pfizer is one of the largest and most successful drugmakers in the field of oncology. Oncology sales comprise around 25% of its total revenues.
Oncology is a key therapeutic area of focus for Bristol Myers, which is developing and delivering transformational medicines in this space.
Both drugmakers have strong footholds in their respective target markets, delivering consistent returns to shareholders. In such a scenario, choosing one stock over another can be challenging. Let us delve into their fundamentals, potential growth prospects, challenges and valuation levels to make a prudent choice.
The Case for Pfizer
Pfizer has an innovative oncology product portfolio of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), small molecules, bispecifics and other immunotherapies that treat a wide range of cancers, including certain types of breast cancer, genitourinary cancer and hematologic malignancies, as well as certain types of melanoma, gastrointestinal, gynecological and lung cancer.
Approved drugs in the portfolio include Ibrance, Xtandi, Inlyta, Lorbrena, Bosulif, Braftovi, Mektovi, Orgovyx, Elrexfio and Talzenna. Among these, the breast cancer drug Ibrance is one of the top revenue generators.
The acquisition of Seagen in December 2023 strengthened PFE's oncology portfolio by adding four ADCs — Adcetris, Padcev, Tukysa and Tivdak. This initiative boosted oncology sales in 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. Seagen also has some next-generation ADC candidates in its pipeline and their successful development should further strengthen its portfolio.
PFE is working on the label expansion of many of its cancer drugs that should boost sales.
Pfizer also has oncology biosimilars in its portfolio and markets six of them for cancer. Oncology biosimilars primarily include Retacrit, Ruxience, Zirabev, Trazimera and Nivestym. Pfizer is also advancing a robust pipeline of oncology candidates, with several entering late-stage development. By 2030, it expects to have eight or more blockbuster oncology medicines in its portfolio.
Apart from oncology, Pfizer's portfolio has a variety of drugs and vaccines for diseases like COVID-19, inflammation & immunology diseases, rare diseases and migraine, among others.
The Case for Bristol Myers
BMY is focused on extending and strengthening its leadership in immuno-oncology (IO), as well as diversifying beyond IO. Leading IO drug Opdivo, approved for several cancer indications, drives its oncology franchise along with Yervoy and Opdualag.
The FDA recently granted approval to Opdivo Qvantig (nivolumab and hyaluronidase-nvhy) injection for subcutaneous use. Per BMY, this new subcutaneous formulation of Opdivo should help extend the reach and impact of its immuno-oncology franchise to patients into the next decade.
Reblozyl, approved for first-line MDS-associated anemia, continues to drive market share within the larger first-line ring sideroblasts negative population.
The CAR-T cell therapy Breyanzi is approved to treat the broadest array of B-cell malignancies.
BMY has also been active on the acquisition front to expand its oncology portfolio/pipeline. In 2024, BMY acquired Mirati, a commercial-stage targeted oncology company, obtaining the rights to commercialize lung cancer medicine Krazati and to further develop several clinical assets, including PRMT5 Inhibitor.
Krazati, a KRAS inhibitor, is approved for second-line non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is in clinical development with a PD-1 inhibitor for first-line NSCLC. It is also FDA approved for advanced or metastatic KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer with cetuximab. In addition, PRMT5 Inhibitor is a potential first-in-class MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor, which is advancing to the next stage of development.
The acquisition of RayzeBio, a leader in the field of radiopharmaceuticals for solid tumor oncology, provided BMY with RYZ101, a late-stage asset, an investigational new drug engine and in-house manufacturing capabilities.
In 2022, BMY acquired Turning Point and added lead asset, repotrectinib, and other clinical and pre-clinical stage assets to its pipeline. Repotrectinib was approved by the FDA in November 2023 and is marketed under the brand name Augtyro.
Augtyro, a kinase inhibitor, is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic ROS1-positive NSCLC. It is also intended for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with solid tumors that have NTRK gene fusion, are locally advanced or metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and have progressed following treatment or have no satisfactory alternative therapy.
Bristol Myers is also focused on developing drugs with presence in hematology, immunology, cardiovascular, neuroscience and other therapeutic areas.
A Look at Estimates: PFE vs BMY
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PFE's 2025 sales implies a year-over-year decrease of 0.6%, and that for earnings per share (EPS) suggests a year-over-year decline of 1.61%. EPS estimates for 2025 and 2026 have moved north in the past 60 days.
PFE's Estimate Movement
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BMY's 2025 sales implies a year-over-year decrease of 4.13% while that for EPS suggests an increase of 487.83%. The extraordinary EPS growth rate is attributed to an extremely low EPS figure in 2024 due to acquisition expenses.
EPS estimates for both 2025 and 2026 have moved south in the past 60 days.
BMY's Estimate Movement
Price Performance and Valuation of PFE and BMY
From a price-performance perspective, PFE has performed better than BMY so far this year. Shares of PFE have declined 6.8%, while those of BMY have lost 15.4%. The large-cap pharma industry has declined 0.3% in the said period.
From a valuation standpoint, we use the P/E ratio of the large-cap pharma industry to compare these companies. Going by the same, PFE is slightly more expensive than BMY. PFE's shares currently trade at 7.77X forward earnings, higher than 7.22 for BMY.
PFE and BMY's attractive dividend yield is a strong positive for investors. However, PFE's dividend yield of 7.2% is higher than BMY's 5.29%.
Which Stock Is a Better Pick for Now?
Large pharma/biotech companies are generally considered safe havens for investors interested in this sector.
However, with both PFE and BMY stocks currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), choosing one over the other is a complex task. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
PFE has a strong and diverse portfolio but faces challenges like declining sales of its COVID-19 products and U.S. Medicare Part D headwinds in 2025. Several of its key products face patent expirations. Nonetheless, drugs like Vyndaqel, Padcev and Eliquis, and newly acquired products should continue to drive top-line growth.
BMY's efforts to revive the top line in the face of generic challenges for key drugs are commendable. However, we believe there is still time before the efforts reap harvest for the company. The outlook for 2025 indicates challenges as of now.
Hence, PFE is a better pick at present (despite its slightly pricey valuation), primarily due to the diversity of its portfolio and higher dividend yield compared to BMY.
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Bristol Myers Squibb Company (BMY): Free Stock Analysis Report
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