Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) Stock Has Consensus Price Target of $206.67

Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the nineteen analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and fifteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $206.67.

Several research firms recently issued reports on AZN. CICC Research assumed coverage on Astrazeneca in a research note on Sunday, August 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $198.00 target price on the stock. HSBC lowered shares of Astrazeneca from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Weiss Ratings cut shares of Astrazeneca from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada assumed coverage on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Tuesday, September 8th. They issued an “outperform” rating for the company.

Astrazeneca News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AI partnership expands pipeline potential: AstraZeneca agreed to collaborate with insitro on machine-learning-based drug discovery for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and cardiomyopathies. The deal could be worth up to $1.5 billion, including upfront and milestone payments plus royalties, giving AstraZeneca access to new potential therapies while spreading early-stage research risk. AstraZeneca Enters AI Drug Discovery Partnership
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive: RBC Capital Markets reiterated its “outperform” rating and 14,500-pence target, forecasting third-quarter revenue and core EPS modestly above consensus ahead of AstraZeneca’s October 30 results. Citi also raised its target to £186. RBC Keeps AstraZeneca at Outperform
• Positive Sentiment: Potentially attractive valuation: A market commentary highlighted that AZN has declined more than 8% this year even though operating performance has remained relatively resilient. The article points to a forward price-to-earnings multiple of about 14.6 times as a possible long-term buying opportunity. AstraZeneca Valuation Commentary
• Neutral Sentiment: Options activity surged: Investors purchased 49,737 call options, more than 14 times typical volume. This may signal bullish positioning, but options activity alone does not establish a fundamental change in the company’s outlook.
• Neutral Sentiment: Mixed analyst signal: Zacks Research upgraded AstraZeneca from “strong sell” to “hold,” indicating reduced pessimism but not a bullish recommendation. AZN is also being monitored for breast-cancer sales growth, expanded approvals and clinical milestones.
• Negative Sentiment: Underperformance remains an overhang: AstraZeneca continues to lag the broader market, and investors may be waiting for upcoming earnings and the AVANZAR lung-cancer trial before assigning greater value to its pipeline.

Astrazeneca Trading Down 0.9%

NYSE AZN traded down $1.45 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $165.23. The company had a trading volume of 3,457,680 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,787,129. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $256.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.27. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $162.16 and a 200 day moving average of $176.23. Astrazeneca has a 1-year low of $153.41 and a 1-year high of $212.71.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.38 billion during 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 business’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.17 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Astrazeneca will post 9.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Astrazeneca

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Fulcrum Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Astrazeneca by 11.1% in the third quarter. Fulcrum Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 14,712 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,376,000 after purchasing an additional 1,467 shares during the period. New England Research & Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Astrazeneca during the 3rd quarter worth about $1,234,000. Vontobel Holding Ltd. purchased a new stake in Astrazeneca during the 3rd quarter worth about $71,603,000. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. raised its position in Astrazeneca by 1.5% in the 3rd quarter. TD Waterhouse Canada Inc. now owns 139,632 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,188,000 after purchasing an additional 2,081 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Banque Pictet & Cie SA raised its position in Astrazeneca by 87.6% in the 3rd quarter. Banque Pictet & Cie SA now owns 350,235 shares of the company’s stock valued at $57,135,000 after purchasing an additional 163,549 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Astrazeneca Company Profile

AstraZeneca PLC is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Its research, development and commercial operations focus on prescription medicines for serious and chronic diseases, with an emphasis on discovering and delivering innovative therapies rather than operating as a diversified healthcare conglomerate.

The company’s principal therapeutic areas include oncology; cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases; respiratory and immunological conditions; and rare diseases.