Stock Pick: Pfizer (PFE)

I'm ready to make the first stock pick on my blog. I am now recommending Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) for purchase. This pharmaceutical giant is a member of both the Standard and Poors 500 index, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). Pfizer is one of the largest makers of prescription drugs.

This stock closed on Tuesday at $17.56. Pfizer's stock price has been trading in a range in between $11-$19. However, PFE has recently begun upward price movement, with Friday's close being a new 52-week high. My opinion is that Pfizer (and several other large pharmaceutical makers) are coming off of a period of depressed stock valuation.

I have picked Pfizer because it satisfies the following criteria:

• Profitable for the last 3 years, and consistently profitable for several years (Source: S&P Stock Reports): In general, I will not recommend an unprofitable company for purchase.
• Current dividend yield of 3.64%: I like to know that if the stock price stagnates, that I will still receive some income for having my money tied up.
• Large capitalization stock: PFE has a market capitalization of over $140 billion. As a general rule, large companies are less volatile than smaller ones.

There you have it, my first stock pick.

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