Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) Receives $211.00 Average PT from Brokerages

Shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) have earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the fifteen brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have assigned a hold recommendation and twelve have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $211.00.

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. DZ Bank upgraded shares of Astrazeneca from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Monday, May 4th.

Astrazeneca Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE AZN opened at $155.79 on Wednesday. Astrazeneca has a 12-month low of $145.79 and a 12-month high of $212.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $241.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $177.81 and a 200 day moving average of $187.53.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.44 billion. Astrazeneca had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The company’s revenue was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.17 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Astrazeneca will post 10.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Astrazeneca

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Astrazeneca in the 1st quarter worth $26,000. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. Roxbury Financial LLC bought a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the second quarter worth about $29,000. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Resources Management Corp CT ADV bought a new position in Astrazeneca during the first quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Key Astrazeneca News

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca entered a multiyear collaboration with SOPHiA GENETICS to develop and commercialize two companion diagnostics for precision-oncology therapies. The agreement could support more targeted use of AstraZeneca’s cancer medicines and strengthen its precision-medicine pipeline. SOPHiA GENETICS collaboration announcement
• Positive Sentiment: Citi said a significant portion of the potential deal risk may already be reflected in AstraZeneca’s share price following Monday’s decline. Analysts also noted that a combined company could generate meaningful cost savings and broaden its pharmaceutical portfolio if a transaction were completed. Brokers split on AstraZeneca merger talk
• Neutral Sentiment: The reported merger discussions remain preliminary and may not lead to a transaction. RBC reportedly considers an AstraZeneca-Bristol Myers combination unlikely for now, while other banks see potential strategic parallels with AstraZeneca’s Alexion acquisition. RBC view on potential AstraZeneca-Bristol Myers deal
• Negative Sentiment: Investors have reacted negatively to the possibility of a megamerger, with analysts questioning why AstraZeneca would pursue Bristol Myers and whether the cost, financing burden, and integration complexity would outweigh potential benefits. The market’s response suggests AstraZeneca shareholders currently view the proposal as more likely to destroy value than create it. AstraZeneca shares drop after merger report
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP announced an investigation into potential claims on behalf of AstraZeneca investors. The announcement does not establish wrongdoing, but securities-law investigations can add reputational and legal uncertainty. Pomerantz investor alert

Astrazeneca Company Profile

AstraZeneca plc is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, England. Formed through the 1999 merger of Sweden’s Astra AB and the UK’s Zeneca Group, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines across a range of therapeutic areas. AstraZeneca positions itself as R&D-driven, investing in discovery science, clinical development and regulatory processes to bring new therapies to market.

The company’s commercial portfolio and late-stage pipeline emphasize oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic (CVRM) diseases, and respiratory and immunology.