US Bancorp DE Buys 15,065 Shares of AstraZeneca PLC $AZN

US Bancorp DE lifted its stake in shares of AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) by 6.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 242,181 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 15,065 shares during the quarter. US Bancorp DE’s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $18,581,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in AZN. NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 149.3% during the 2nd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 364 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 218 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in AstraZeneca during the third quarter valued at about $31,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 376.0% in the second quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the last quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of AstraZeneca during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in AstraZeneca by 144.0% during the 3rd quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 466 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares during the period. 20.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

AstraZeneca Trading Up 2.3%

Shares of AZN stock opened at $208.72 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $135.91 and a 200-day moving average of $102.01. The stock has a market cap of $323.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 69.34, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.34. AstraZeneca PLC has a 52-week low of $122.48 and a 52-week high of $212.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.88.

AstraZeneca Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.595 per share. This represents a yield of 156.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 20th. AstraZeneca’s payout ratio is presently 74.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AZN has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, HSBC restated a “buy” rating and set a $108.00 price objective on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $95.75.

AstraZeneca Company Profile

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led 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’s operations span research and development, large-scale manufacturing, and commercial distribution, with a presence in developed and emerging markets worldwide.

The company focuses on several core therapy areas including oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism (CVRM), respiratory and immunology, and rare diseases.