The Motley Fool·2025-11-22 14:20Core Viewpoint - The healthcare sector presents significant investment opportunities for long-term investors, particularly in stocks that demonstrate growth potential and resilience against market fluctuations [2]. Group 1: Pfizer - Pfizer has experienced a transformative period, shifting from slow growth to a surge in revenue due to the success of its COVID-19 vaccine developed with BioNTech [4]. - The company has strategically utilized profits from its COVID-19 products to acquire other firms, including a pivotal $43 billion acquisition of Seagen in 2023, enhancing its oncology portfolio with four approved cancer therapies [5][6]. - Pfizer's recent product launches include a range of treatments such as the RSV vaccine Abrysvo and the migraine treatment Nurtec, which are expected to drive future growth [7]. - The company reported total revenue of approximately $45 billion in the first nine months of 2025, with a 24% year-over-year increase in GAAP net income to $9.4 billion [10]. - Pfizer has a strong dividend history, delivering over $7 billion in cash dividends in the first nine months of 2025, with a current yield close to 7% [11]. - The company is focusing on non-COVID growth areas, including oncology and cardiometabolic treatments, while also pursuing acquisitions to counteract patent expirations [9][12]. Group 2: Viking Therapeutics - Viking Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with its value largely dependent on successful clinical trials and regulatory approvals [13]. - The lead candidate, VK2735, has shown promising results in early trials for weight loss and diabetes improvement, targeting both GLP-1 and GIP receptors [14][15]. - The injectable formulation of VK2735 is in phase 3 trials and has demonstrated significant weight reduction, positioning it competitively against existing treatments [17]. - Viking has a diversified pipeline, including candidates for metabolic liver disease and a rare genetic condition, which may reduce reliance on a single product's success [18][19]. - The company ended Q3 2025 with over $715 million in cash, providing stability for ongoing research and development without immediate fundraising concerns [19][20].