AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) have earned an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the ten research firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $95.75.

AZN has been the subject of a number of research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft cut AstraZeneca from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 16th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on AstraZeneca in a report on Monday, October 27th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AstraZeneca

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 149.3% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 364 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Triumph Capital Management bought a new position in shares of AstraZeneca in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Richardson Financial Services Inc. lifted its holdings in AstraZeneca by 59.8% in the 2nd quarter. Richardson Financial Services Inc. now owns 398 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 149 shares during the last quarter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in AstraZeneca during the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in AstraZeneca by 376.0% during the second quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the period. 20.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AstraZeneca Stock Up 0.7%

AstraZeneca stock opened at $94.65 on Friday. AstraZeneca has a twelve month low of $61.24 and a twelve month high of $96.51. 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 firm has a market cap of $293.55 billion, a PE ratio of 31.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 0.34. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $90.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $81.90.

AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The company reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.14 by $0.05. AstraZeneca had a net margin of 16.17% and a return on equity of 32.89%. The company had revenue of $15.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.75 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.08 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 12.0% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that AstraZeneca will post 4.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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.