How to buy Pfizer (PFE) shares from Australia

Nilooka Dissanayake avatar
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Andrew Boyd avatar
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Updated 25 Sep 2023

Pfizer Inc (NASDAQ: PFE) is a US-based multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation. It was established in 1849 and is headquartered in Manhattan, New York City.

If you’re looking to buy Pfizer shares from Australia, this is how to do it.

About the company

Pfizer overview

Pfizer is part of Big Pharma and was the second-largest pharmaceutical company in 2020, by revenue. It is best known for products such as Advil, Viagra, Xanax, and Zoloft.

Pfizer’s pipeline includes treatments for a number of important therapeutic areas including Inflammation and Immunology, Oncology, Vaccines, Internal Medicine, and Rare Diseases.

Subsidiaries of Pfizer include Pfizer Japan, Pfizer Australia, and Hospira.

Unsure about what trading platform to use?

Where to buy Pfizer shares

eToro

On website

eToro AUS Capital Limited AFSL 491139. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

Highlights

  • Trade and invest in top financial instruments, including a wide selection of stocks.
  • eToro is regulated by CySec, FCA, and ASIC.
  • Your funds are protected by industry-leading security protocols.
  • Earn up to 5.3% annual interest on your balance.*

*Applicable to uninvested funds. Your capital is at risk. Eligibility and Terms & Conditions apply.


Pros

  • Stock fees are low, helping you keep more of your returns.
  • Pricing is competitive, giving you good value for your trades.
  • Access to a wide range of markets.
  • The platform is simple to use, even if you’re new to trading.
  • Social trading lets you follow and learn from experienced investors.
  • Access to market news and trader insights.

Cons

  • Customer support is limited.
  • Advanced traders may find the analytical tools too basic.
  • Withdrawals come with a $5 fee, which can add up over time.
  • Only a few account base currencies are available, which may lead to extra conversion costs.
Saxo Invested

On website

Saxo Invested

Highlights

  • Invest in 23,500+ stocks from ASX, New York, Hong Kong, and 50+ other global markets.
  • Save more with low stock and ETF fees, minimal FX fees, and no withdrawal fees.
  • Analyse, improve, and manage your risk using intuitive trading tools.

Pros

  • Start investing in US stocks with brokerage fees as low as USD 1.
  • Stay informed with built-in research, expert analysis, live market updates, podcasts, and webinars.
  • Trade US stocks on your schedule with extended hours from 7 AM to 5 PM (GMT-4).
  • Set up stop-loss and take-profit orders to manage risk automatically, even when you're not watching the market.
  • Get rewarded for being an active trader, adding extra perks to your experience

Cons

  • A high custody fee can add to your overall trading costs.
  • Fees for options and futures trading are on the higher side.
  • No automated investing.
  • The platform’s features and tools may feel too complex for beginners.
Pearler

On website

Highlights

  • Offers low, transparent fees, keeping your investment costs clear and manageable.
  • An option to Autoinvest. Set-and-forget your investment strategy.
  • Simply invest into any ETF from one of Pearler's ETF managers for at least one year, and it's free.
  • Clearing House Electronic Sub-register System (CHESS) sponsored.

Pros

  • Suitable for both beginners and experienced investors.
  • Encourages long-term investing, helping you build wealth over time
  • No hidden or disguised fees.
  • No account opening, maintenance, or inactivity fees.
  • A safe and secure platform protects your investments and personal information.

Cons

  • Lacks live data and research reports, which could limit in-depth market analysis.
  • It can take a few days before you can start trading.
  • Limited to AU and US markets.
Superhero

On website

Highlights

  • Start investing today with just $10, paying a flat $2 fee on AU and US share trades or 0.01% for trades over $20k.
  • Buy and sell US shares & ETFs with $0 brokerage plus trade unsettled funds.
  • Fund your account in minutes with PayID and enjoy real-time FX transfers for fast US share trading.

Pros

  • No monthly fees, keeping your costs predictable.
  • Live pricing ensures you have up-to-date market information when making trades.
  • Automated investing makes it easier to manage your portfolio without constant oversight.
  • The mobile interface is simple to use and easy to set up, so you can trade on the go

Cons

  • Foreign exchange fees are quite high.
  • Only offers basic data and stock reports.
  • Basic trading features.
  • You’re limited to trading in the US and ASX markets.
Tiger Brokers

On website

Highlights

  • Available for ASX, US & HK stocks trading, ETFs, and US options trading.
  • Free market data for ASX and US stocks.
  • More accessible investment to all with a demo account.

Pros

  • You can start investing with any amount since there’s no minimum deposit.
  • Low brokerage fees help keep your trading costs down.
  • Easy Tiger's platform is intuitive and easy to pick up.
  • CHESS-sponsored accounts give you direct ownership of your shares for added security.
  • The mobile app is simple to use, making it easy to trade anytime, anywhere.

Cons

  • The platform offers a limited range of markets, restricting investment opportunities
  • Educational resources are limited.
  • Deposits can only be made via bank transfers or PayID.
Webull

On website

Webull

Highlights

  • Trade AU & US stocks, ETFs, and Options with $0 commission for the first 30 days.
  • Provides intuitive and powerful advanced charts, multiple technical indicators, and premier Level 2 Advance (Nasdaq TotalView).
  • Regulated by ASIC.

Pros

  • CHESS-Sponsored.
  • Invest from as little as US$5.
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees.
  • Allows you to trade fractional shares.
  • Access to advanced trading tools.

Cons

  • Scarcity of instructional resources for investors.
  • Supports AU and US markets only.
Moomoo

Not available for application via this website

Moomoo

Highlights

  • Trade blue-chip stocks in AU and US markets.
  • Trade multi-markets and multi-products with a lower commission. No custodian fee.
  • CHESS-Sponsored trading is now available.
  • Regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).


Pros

  • Opening an account is quick and easy.
  • Low commission rates keep trading costs down.
  • No inactivity fee, so you don’t have to worry about fees for not trading regularly.
  • Uninvested cash earns high interest, making it work for you.
  • Demo trading lets you practice before diving into real trades.
  • You can participate in social trading by sharing and viewing trading ideas on moomoo’s forums.

Cons

  • Market options are limited compared to some other platforms.
  • Beginners may find moomoo’s feature-packed desktop platform a bit tricky to navigate.
  • Only AUD deposits are supported, limiting funding options for international users.

Compare share brokers for Australians with Finty.

First time buying?

How to buy Pfizer shares

Step 1: Select a broker

Find an online broker that allows you to access the US markets. There are many options that you can access from Australia. Next, consider the features that you want from a broker.

Listed below are some features you should consider:

Zero commission trading

This feature is offered by many platforms that offer access to US stocks. You can save money on share trading by not paying commissions.

Fractional share investment

Fractional share investment means that you can buy a portion of a share, rather than the entire thing. This is something you might consider because Pfizer shares can be very expensive.

A simple trading interface

It doesn't have to be difficult to trade shares. Make sure you choose a platform that is easy to use. New investors can benefit from educational guides and the ability to open a demo account.

Research and reporting

A platform with a strong research and reporting section will provide you with important information about Pfizer such as company overview, recommendations, and forecasts.

Step 2: Fund your account

To buy Pfizer shares, you will need to fund the account. Keep in mind that your funds may take some time to clear, which means you will probably not be able to trade immediately.

Step 3: Determine how much to invest

It might be a good idea to start with fractional shares as a first step. You can also make a profit regardless of shares dropping, as you can buy in at the average share price.

Step 4: Decide whether to buy shares or invest in an ETF

An Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) is regarded as a diversified investment and safer than investing in a single stock.

ETFs with exposure to Pfizer include iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE), Invesco Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF (PJP), and Global Beta Smart Income ETF (GBDV) among many others.

Step 5: Set up an order with your broker

You can choose from a variety of order types to customise when and how much you want to buy each share. These are the different order types:

Market order

Market orders are orders that can be purchased or sold at the current market price. However, the price that you are looking for may not match the one you receive. You may order Pfizer stock at US$42. The price of the Pfizer stock may drop to US$40 or rise to US$46 by the time the trade is executed.

Limit order

Execution-only orders for buy limit orders are executed at the price quoted or less. You may wish to buy Pfizer shares at US$40 per share. You can submit a limit order for this amount. It will only be fulfilled if the Pfizer share prices fall below US$40.

Stop limit

This type of order allows you to sell your shares at a certain price if the share price starts dropping. Let's suppose you want to sell your Pfizer shares if the price falls to US$38 per share. Your stop limit order is executed if the shares drop to this price.

Stop loss

Another mechanism aimed at preventing you taking a hit on your shares if the price drops. You nominate a price at which you want to sell your Pfizer shares - say US$37 per share. Your stop loss order will be executed if the price falls to that level but your order will be filled at the next available market price.

Step 6: Place your order

After you've chosen a broker and decided how you want to invest, you can place your order through that broker.

After you buy

What moves Pfizer's share price

When you invest in shares it becomes a necessity to observe share price movements and to watch company performance. Here's how:

Track Pfizer’s share price and company performance

This is important whether you are buying shares with the goal of holding them long term or for speculative purposes.

The news that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has received full FDA approval is of pivotal importance for the company. With pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, you must pay attention to how its drug pipeline performs over time.

Pfizer’s competitive field

Pfizer’s competitors include Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), AstraZeneca (NASDAQ: AZN), GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ). Roche Holding (RHHBY), Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Novartis (NYSE: NVS), and Merck (NYSE: MRK).

Disclaimer: We put our customer’s needs first. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer’s alone and do not constitute financial advice. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. However, Finty and/or the writer may have a financial interest in the companies mentioned. Finty is committed to providing factual, honest, and accurate information that is compliant with governing laws and regulations. Do your own due diligence and seek professional advice before deciding to invest in one of the products mentioned. For more information, see Finty’s editorial guidelines and terms and conditions.

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