June 22
Pfizer Offers Shares to the Public
Summary
Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart had established a chemical business in Brooklyn in 1849, and Pfizer remained privately held through much of its early growth. On June 22, 1942, the company offered 240,000 shares of new common stock to the public. The transaction provided a broader ownership base and additional capital as Pfizer expanded its manufacturing and pharmaceutical operations during the Second World War. It was a public offering of new common shares, rather than a founding event: the company had already existed for more than nine decades.
Why It Matters
The 1942 offering marks a transition in Pfizer's corporate and financial history from a privately held chemical company toward a publicly owned enterprise. It belongs in the longer story of how Pfizer financed expansion and developed into a major pharmaceutical manufacturer. Using the documented offering date avoids assigning a false exact day to the company's 1849 founding.
Related Sites
- Gov Influence: Explore Gov Influence's current analysis of Pfizer's reviewed federal lobbying disclosures and related public records.
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Sources
- Pfizer History, Pfizer. Accessed 2026-09-08.