There are no safe havens in the stock market. Every stock carries risk. But some less than others. This column features stocks that have shown one or more of the following characteristics: less volatility, better earnings, larger market caps, safe and increasing dividends. In these times of turmoil, our goal is to show readers better opportunities for investing with fewer risks.

January 14, 2011 - Pfizer Inc., (PFE-NYSE) a biopharmaceutical company, offers prescription medicines for humans and animals worldwide. The company's Biopharmaceutical segment provides Lipitor for elevated LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood; Enbrel for rheumatoid arthritis, polyarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis; Lyrica for post-herpetic neuralgia, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, neuropathic pain, adjunctive treatment of epilepsy, and general anxiety disorder, as well as for use as an adjunctive therapy for adult patients with partial onset seizures; Prevnar/Prevenar for invasive pneumococcal disease; Celebrex for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and acute pain; Viagra for erectile dysfunction; Xalabrands for reducing elevated eye pressure; Effexor XR for depressive, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorders; and Norvasc for hypertension.

The company's Diversified segment offers animal health products, such as vaccines, anti-infectives, anti-inflammatories, antiemetics, and parasiticides; consumer healthcare products, such as dietary supplements, pain management, respiratory, and personal care; nutrition products; and gelatin, liquid, softgel, non-animal, and fish gelatin capsules. Pfizer Inc. was founded in 1849 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Latest News:

From The New York Times: Sales of Lipitor, the biggest-selling drug in history, have leveled off after a steep plunge following the start of generic competition. New figures from the data firm IMS Health show that at the end of December, sales of Lipitor, made by Pfizer, were at just above 37 percent of market share.

Two new generic versions came on the market at the beginning of December, and in the first full week of the month, they had siphoned off a combined 59 percent of sales. By the last week of December, atorvastatin pills from Ranbaxy Laboratories and the authorized generic from Watson Pharmaceuticals picked up only another 4 percent between them. Pfizer is fighting hard to retain sales, with big discounts to patients and insurers.

Lipitor lost patent protection in the United States on Nov. 30.

Pfizer has been offering patients discount cards that give them a $4 co-payment, which is less than the co-pay for all but the most popular generics, if they keep taking brand-name Lipitor rather than a generic version.

Expectations:

For fourth quarter 2011: 47 cents compared to 47 cents last year in the fourth period.
For Full Year 2011: $2.28 vs $2.23 in 2010. Earnings announcement will be on January 31.
For Full Year 2012: $2.31

Important Numbers:
- Forward P/E: 9.42
- Price to sales ratio: 2.46
- Price to book: 1.88
- Operating margin: 27.79%
- Profit margins: 16.66%
- Return on equity: 11.45%
- Return on assets: 6.17%
- Revenues (last 12 months): $68.78 billion
- Cash: $28.98 billion
- Cash per share: $3.77
- Total debt: $41.05 billion
- Total debt to equity: 45.35%
- Current ratio: 2.25
- Book value per share: 11.71
- Beta: .89
- 52 week change: 19.9%
- Shares outstanding: 7.69 billion
- Float: 7.68 billion
- Held by insiders: .03%
- Held by institutions: 72.4%
- Dividend: 80 cents
- Yield: 3.7%

Company Web site: www.pfizer.com

-  Ted Allrich