Grove Bank & Trust Makes New $1.09 Million Investment in Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Grove Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) in the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm acquired 5,776 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,095,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Astrazeneca during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Astrazeneca in the first quarter valued at about $26,000. Roxbury Financial LLC acquired a new position in Astrazeneca in the second quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Astrazeneca during the fourth quarter worth about $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Astrazeneca Stock Down 1.4%

NYSE:AZN opened at $155.79 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $241.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.29, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.26. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.89. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $177.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $187.53. Astrazeneca Plc has a 52-week low of $145.79 and a 52-week high of $212.71.

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

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Friday, April 10th. DZ Bank upgraded Astrazeneca from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Finally, Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Astrazeneca presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $211.00.

Key Headlines Impacting Astrazeneca

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

About Astrazeneca

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.