Pitcairn Co. Sells 2,611 Shares of AstraZeneca PLC $AZN

Pitcairn Co. reduced its stake in AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) by 13.9% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 16,184 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,611 shares during the quarter. Pitcairn Co.’s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $1,242,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AZN. Chapin Davis Inc. increased its holdings in AstraZeneca by 3.3% during the third quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. now owns 3,795 shares of the company’s stock worth $291,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC boosted its stake in AstraZeneca by 30.6% in the third quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 534 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in AstraZeneca by 32.0% in the third quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 532 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after acquiring an additional 129 shares during the last quarter. Traub Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter. Traub Capital Management LLC now owns 4,115 shares of the company’s stock valued at $316,000 after acquiring an additional 130 shares during the period. Finally, Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 0.6% during the 3rd quarter. Aaron Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 21,215 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,628,000 after acquiring an additional 136 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

AstraZeneca Stock Performance

Shares of AZN opened at $194.44 on Friday. AstraZeneca PLC has a 52-week low of $122.48 and a 52-week high of $212.71. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $146.71 and its 200 day simple moving average is $106.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $301.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.32.

AstraZeneca Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, February 20th will be paid a dividend of $1.595 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 20th. This represents a yield of 156.0%. AstraZeneca’s payout ratio is currently 66.26%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AZN has been the topic of a number of research reports. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Friday, February 6th. Citigroup initiated coverage on AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $103.00 target price on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $95.75.

AstraZeneca 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.