Pfizer raised its full-year outlook after third-quarter results topped estimates and named Cecile Guegan chief financial officer this month.
Guegan takes the CFO post as Pfizer raises revenue guidance
Cecile Guegan had served as interim CFO since August, when Dave Denton stepped down from Pfizer to take the same position at Nike. Denton was Pfizer’s former CFO. Guegan has held various finance leadership roles at Pfizer over the last two decades.¹
Pfizer now expects full-year revenue of $62 billion to $64 billion, compared with its previous outlook of $60.5 billion to $62.5 billion. The company’s 2025 revenue was $62.6 billion. Pfizer cited its “strong year-to-date performance” as a driver of the guidance increase. Both ends of the new range are higher than the corresponding ends of the previous forecast.¹
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said revenue from the company’s Covid products was “very low” this quarter and year. Pfizer reaffirmed its Covid product outlook at roughly $4 billion for the year. Bourla said the company was raising guidance by $1.5 billion because other products had overperformed. His explanation tied the increase to sales beyond Covid products while the company kept its Covid outlook unchanged.¹
Pfizer now expects full-year revenue of $62 billion to $64 billion, compared with its previous outlook of $60.5 billion to $62.5 billion.
Adjusted-profit guidance rises alongside a savings target
Pfizer now expects full-year adjusted profit of $2.95 to $3.05 per share, up from its previous guidance of $2.80 to $3 per share. The company also recorded a one-time $650 million charge in the third quarter, equal to a negative impact of ten cents per share. The charge was tied to Pfizer’s licensing and collaboration agreement with Innovent Biologics. The revised profit range and the charge describe separate elements of the company’s financial outlook and quarter.¹
Pfizer is targeting roughly $9.7 billion in net savings through 2029. The savings target extends beyond the period covered by the full-year revenue and adjusted-profit forecasts. It is a net-savings goal, distinct from the sales and per-share profit measures Pfizer updated alongside its quarterly results.¹
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Third-quarter net profit fell about 15% to €1.45bn as revenue dropped almost 6% to €30.45bn.
Read More →Quarterly revenue topped estimates and stayed near the year-earlier level
Pfizer reported adjusted earnings per share of 87 cents, compared with the 73 cents expected. Revenue was $16.58 billion, against expectations of $15.87 billion. The earnings and revenue figures both came in above estimates, matching the company’s overall description of third-quarter results. The revenue figure provides a separate measure from the adjusted earnings-per-share result.¹
Third-quarter revenue was relatively flat from the same period a year ago. Pfizer cited an operational decrease of $57 million, primarily due to lower Covid revenues, and a $15 million negative impact from foreign exchange. Net income was $3.24 billion, or 56 cents per share. In the third quarter of 2025, net income was $3.54 billion, or 62 cents per share.¹
Eliquis, Padcev and newer products posted strong sales
Eliquis generated $2.52 billion in sales, up 25%. Analysts had expected $2.40 billion in revenue. Padcev recorded $720 million in revenue for the period, compared with analyst expectations of $658 million. The two products each exceeded the revenue estimates cited for them, with Eliquis also posting the reported year-on-year sales increase.¹
Pfizer’s newly launched and acquired products contributed $3.8 billion and grew 32% operationally. The Covid vaccine generated $808 million in sales, above the $770.4 million analysts expected. Paxlovid, Pfizer’s antiviral pill, booked $449 million in sales, compared with analyst expectations of $394.1 million. Those figures show sales contributions from newer and acquired products alongside the reported results for the company’s Covid products.¹
Quarterly revenue topped estimates and stayed near the year-earlier level Pfizer reported adjusted earnings per share of 87 cents, compared with the 73 cents expected.
Track product mix, not just headline numbers
Pfizer's guidance hike came from non-Covid products, not its Covid line, which stayed flat at roughly $4 billion. For analysts and finance-trackers, the lesson is to separate a company's legacy or pandemic-era products from its newer ones. Eliquis and Padcev beat estimates, and newly launched or acquired products grew 32% operationally. When you evaluate a pharma firm, weigh the growth of its newer portfolio against the drag from older lines.¹
The CFO transition also matters for your own career planning. Cecile Guegan moved from interim to permanent CFO after two decades of finance roles at Pfizer, while Dave Denton left for the same job at Nike. That pattern shows that internal mobility and long tenure can lead to top finance posts, and that cross-company CFO moves remain common. If you aim for a CFO role, build deep sector experience and be ready to step into interim positions when a vacancy opens.¹
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Read More →Sources
Written by Career Ahead AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify key facts. Report errors to support@careeraheadonline.com
