Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) Stock Rating Lowered by Zacks Research

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note issued on Monday, Zacks reports.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Bank of America reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. CICC Research began coverage on Astrazeneca in a research report on Sunday, August 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $198.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Barclays reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Monday, June 1st. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Astrazeneca from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Astrazeneca presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $206.67.

Astrazeneca Trading Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE AZN opened at $161.76 on Monday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $164.96 and its 200-day moving average is $181.57. The stock has a market cap of $250.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.18, a P/E/G ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.25. Astrazeneca has a twelve month low of $145.79 and a twelve month high of $212.71. The company has a quick ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.13. Astrazeneca had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The company had revenue of $15.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.44 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.17 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Astrazeneca will post 9.34 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of AZN. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 2.1% during the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 21,601,433 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,791,051,000 after purchasing an additional 438,709 shares in the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 20,157,744 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,537,684,000 after buying an additional 445,014 shares during the last quarter. Amundi grew its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 6.7% in the second quarter. Amundi now owns 16,422,784 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,114,088,000 after buying an additional 1,036,635 shares in the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC grew its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 889.9% in the first quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 11,949,424 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,319,947,000 after buying an additional 10,742,268 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased its holdings in Astrazeneca by 208.6% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,386,455 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,048,417,000 after buying an additional 7,021,126 shares during the last quarter. 20.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Stories Impacting Astrazeneca

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

About Astrazeneca

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.