The relatively new CEO at drug giant Pfizer (PFE) has been focusing on cost cutting, not major acquisitions, since he arrived but investors have wanted more. The company's blockbuster cholesterol treatment, Lipitor, represents 25% of Pfizer's $48 billion in annual sales, but the drug faces patent expiration in 2011. Fears over how the company would replace such a loss has been hampering its share price for a long time. Despite a dividend yield north of 7%, investors have been uninspired, as the stock only fetches 7 times 2008 expected earnings.

We now hear that Pfizer is in talks to acquire Wyeth (WYE) for about $60 billion. While most large deals are met with initial skepticism (Pfizer shares are down in pre-market trading to $16 and change) a large deal is very important for an industry facing large scale patent losses and limited R&D pipelines. If this deal does come to fruition, it shows that Pfizer management actually did have a plan, they just weren't going to be rushed into it by Wall Street. With a P/E of 7 and a dividend yield of 7.5%, Pfizer shares are very cheap and at the very least have limited downside. If the Wyeth deal happens and works well, the announcement of the deal could easily mark the bottom in the stock.

Full Disclosure: Peridot Capital had a long position in Pfizer at the time of writing, but positions may change at any time