PFE vs. QGEN: Pfizer vs. Qiagen Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but PFE is classified in Pharmaceuticals while QGEN is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Company profile comparison for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Profile Item	PFE	QGEN
Name	Pfizer Inc.	Qiagen N.V.
Country/Region	United States	Netherlands
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Life Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Life Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization	167.52 billion USD	10.39 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	June 1, 1972	June 28, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

PFE

QGEN

GSPC

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
Total Return (1Y)	28.65%	17.09%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	6.41%	10.44%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	-3.98%	-0.72%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

PFE

QGEN

GSPC

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.72%	35.52%
Beta (5Y)	0.35	0.56
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-58.96%	-41.97%
Avg. Volume (3M)	33.67M	3.68M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

PFE and QGEN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.12	0.36
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.73	0.60

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 10.81% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Pfizer (PFE) at 4.47% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for QGEN.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.47%

Max: 109.18%
Q3: 6.23%
PFE: 4.47%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

10.81%

Max: 109.18%
QGEN: 10.81%
Q3: 6.23%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 18.20% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Pfizer (PFE) at 6.34% also retains a top-quartile share.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

6.34%

Max: 18.05%
PFE: 6.34%
Q3: 4.78%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

18.20%

QGEN: 18.20%
Max: 18.05%
Q3: 4.78%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Pfizer (PFE) at 33.38% and Qiagen (QGEN) at 27.75% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

33.38%

Max: 83.12%
PFE: 33.38%
Q3: 14.77%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

27.75%

Max: 83.12%
QGEN: 27.75%
Q3: 14.77%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
ROE (TTM)	4.47%	10.81%
ROA (TTM)	5.59%	5.68%
Net Margin (TTM)	6.34%	18.20%
Operating Margin (TTM)	33.38%	27.75%
Gross Margin (TTM)	74.90%	67.06%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Qiagen (QGEN) at 5.65% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Pfizer (PFE) at -1.65% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Qiagen (QGEN) at 409.76% clears its industry range for EPS growth, a much stronger earnings trajectory than Pfizer (PFE) at -3.55%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
Revenue Growth (YoY)	-1.65%	5.65%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	-14.80%	-0.81%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-3.55%	409.76%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-37.12%	-0.19%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 2.63 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Pfizer (PFE) at 1.42 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for PFE.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.42

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
Q1: 2.47
PFE: 1.42
Min: 0.10

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.63

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
QGEN: 2.63
Q1: 2.47
Min: 0.10

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Qiagen (QGEN) at 0.47 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Pfizer (PFE) at 0.71 uses more debt funding than most peers.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.71

Max: 1.42
PFE: 0.71
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.15
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.47

Max: 1.42
Q3: 0.65
QGEN: 0.47
Median: 0.15
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.42	2.63
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.71	0.47
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.97	1.08

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Pfizer (PFE) at 7.30% and Qiagen (QGEN) at 0.71% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.30%

PFE: 7.30%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.71%

QGEN: 0.71%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Pfizer (PFE) reports payout ratio above 100% at 245.71%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Qiagen (QGEN) reports 18.21%, ranking against industry peers normally.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

245.71%

PFE: 245.71%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

18.21%

QGEN: 18.21%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
Dividend Yield (TTM)	7.30%	0.71%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	245.71%	18.21%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Pfizer (PFE) at 41.99 and Qiagen (QGEN) at 27.21 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

41.99

Max: 85.34
Q3: 43.46
PFE: 41.99
Median: 26.69
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

27.21

Max: 85.34
Q3: 43.46
QGEN: 27.21
Median: 26.69
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Pfizer (PFE) at 2.63 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Qiagen (QGEN) at 4.91 prices around its industry’s middle — PFE costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.63

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
Median: 7.30
Q1: 3.01
PFE: 2.63
Min: 0.01

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.91

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
Median: 7.30
QGEN: 4.91
Q1: 3.01
Min: 0.01

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Pfizer (PFE) at 1.88 and Qiagen (QGEN) at 2.99 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.88

Max: 13.53
Q3: 6.54
Median: 3.25
PFE: 1.88
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

QGEN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.99

Max: 13.53
Q3: 6.54
Median: 3.25
QGEN: 2.99
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

Pfizer (PFE) vs. Qiagen (QGEN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Pfizer (PFE) and Qiagen (QGEN)
Metric	PFE	QGEN
P/E Ratio (TTM)	41.99	27.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)	2.63	4.91
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	1.88	2.99
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	7.76%	3.62%