Erste Group Bank Raises Earnings Estimates for Astrazeneca

Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) – Research analysts at Erste Group Bank boosted their FY2026 earnings estimates for Astrazeneca in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, September 8th. Erste Group Bank analyst H. Engel now forecasts that the company will earn $10.17 per share for the year, up from their previous forecast of $10.14. The consensus estimate for Astrazeneca’s current full-year earnings is $9.34 per share. Erste Group Bank also issued estimates for Astrazeneca’s FY2027 earnings at $11.44 EPS.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.44 billion. Astrazeneca had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.17 earnings per share.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on AZN. Weiss Ratings cut Astrazeneca from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Barclays reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Wall Street Zen cut Astrazeneca from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Royal Bank Of Canada started coverage on Astrazeneca in a research report on Tuesday, September 8th. They set an “outperform” rating for the company. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Friday, June 26th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $206.67.

Astrazeneca Price Performance

AZN stock opened at $161.76 on Monday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $164.96 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $181.57. Astrazeneca has a 1 year low of $145.79 and a 1 year high of $212.71. The stock has a market cap of $250.87 billion, a PE ratio of 24.18, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.25. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Astrazeneca

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Amundi grew its stake in Astrazeneca by 146,574.4% in the first quarter. Amundi now owns 15,386,149 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,034,456,000 after purchasing an additional 15,375,659 shares in the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 889.9% during the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 11,949,424 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,319,947,000 after purchasing an additional 10,742,268 shares in the last quarter. Rathbones Group PLC raised its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 106,772.0% during the 1st quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 8,054,943 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,560,419,000 after purchasing an additional 8,047,406 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada raised its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 208.6% during the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,386,455 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,048,417,000 after purchasing an additional 7,021,126 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,202,714,000. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Astrazeneca News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Tagrisso delivered a significant long-term survival benefit. Eight-year ADAURA follow-up data showed Tagrisso reduced the risk of death by 47% in the primary population and 48% overall among patients with early-stage EGFR-mutated lung cancer. The results support the drug’s durability and continued contribution to AstraZeneca’s oncology revenue. AstraZeneca’s TAGRISSO Achieves 8-Year Survival Milestone
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst earnings expectations were raised, indicating that at least one analyst sees potential for improved profitability despite the clinical setback. AstraZeneca also previously reported earnings above consensus estimates, with year-over-year revenue growth. FY2026 EPS Estimates for Astrazeneca Increased by Analyst
• Neutral Sentiment: AstraZeneca was selected as a CNBC “Final Trade,” providing some favorable visibility among market commentators, although such recommendations typically have limited fundamental impact. AstraZeneca on CNBC’s Final Trades
• Negative Sentiment: Camizestrant, marketed as Etcamah, failed to meet the primary endpoint in the Phase III SERENA-4 trial for previously untreated ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. The numerical improvement was not statistically significant, weakening expectations for one of AstraZeneca’s important future oncology growth drivers. The failure does not affect the drug’s currently approved use. AstraZeneca’s Oncology Engine Faces a Key Test After Camizestrant Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks added AZN to its Rank #5 “Strong Sell” list, reinforcing near-term concerns about the stock’s outlook and likely adding to selling pressure. New Strong Sell Stocks for September 15th

Astrazeneca Company Profile

AstraZeneca plc is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its principal therapeutic areas include oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, respiratory and immunology conditions, and rare diseases.

The company’s portfolio includes medicines such as Tagrisso, Imfinzi and Lynparza for cancer; Farxiga for cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic conditions; Fasenra for severe asthma; and Symbicort for respiratory disease.