Cidel Asset Management Inc. Sells 21,125 Shares of AstraZeneca Plc $AZN

Cidel Asset Management Inc. lowered its stake in shares of AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) by 9.0% during the 3rd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 213,538 shares of the company’s stock after selling 21,125 shares during the quarter. AstraZeneca accounts for about 1.7% of Cidel Asset Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Cidel Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $34,490,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in AstraZeneca in the 1st quarter worth approximately $26,000. Roxbury Financial LLC acquired a new position in AstraZeneca during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Resources Management Corp CT ADV acquired a new position in AstraZeneca during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Allied Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of AstraZeneca in the second quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of AstraZeneca in the third quarter worth $30,000. 20.35% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently commented on AZN. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. Zacks Research raised AstraZeneca from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th. HSBC lowered AstraZeneca from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. CICC Research started coverage on AstraZeneca in a research report on Sunday, August 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $198.00 price target for the company. Finally, Nordea Equity Research upgraded AstraZeneca from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, AstraZeneca presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $206.67.

Key Headlines Impacting AstraZeneca

Here are the key news stories impacting AstraZeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q3 earnings beat expectations: Core EPS reached $2.79 versus the roughly $2.60 analyst consensus, while revenue increased about 7% year over year to $16.21 billion, topping estimates near $16 billion. Net profit rose to $3.12 billion from $2.54 billion a year earlier. AstraZeneca Stock Rallies on Q3 Earnings Beat
• Positive Sentiment: Oncology remains the key growth engine: Cancer-drug sales rose 17%, helping offset generic competition and declining sales from mature medicines such as Farxiga. The performance suggests AstraZeneca’s newer products are mitigating patent-cliff pressure. AZN Q3 Earnings Beat Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Pipeline catalysts support the longer-term story: Management highlighted more than $20 billion of potential from 2027 drug-trial readouts, while the company reported 12 positive Phase 3 readouts. These catalysts could expand AstraZeneca’s growth prospects beyond its current portfolio. AstraZeneca CEO Sees Over $20B Potential
• Positive Sentiment: Guidance was reaffirmed: AstraZeneca maintained its fiscal 2026 outlook for mid-to-high single-digit revenue growth and low-double-digit core EPS growth at constant exchange rates. The company also targeted $1.5 billion in annual savings, potentially supporting margins and earnings. AstraZeneca Reports Q3 Revenue Growth
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views remain mixed: Guggenheim maintained a Buy rating, while Deutsche Bank retained Hold and Erste Group Bank lowered its FY2026 EPS estimate, indicating some valuation and execution concerns remain. Guggenheim Maintains Buy Rating
• Negative Sentiment: Generic competition remains a headwind: Farxiga and other mature products face pricing and volume pressure, which could limit growth if newer oncology and pipeline medicines do not continue to scale. AstraZeneca Holds Guidance

AstraZeneca Stock Up 6.9%

Shares of AZN opened at $186.49 on Friday. AstraZeneca Plc has a 52 week low of $153.41 and a 52 week 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. The company has a market capitalization of $289.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.38, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.27. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $164.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $180.21.

AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) last posted its earnings results on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $2.79 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $16.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16 billion. AstraZeneca had a return on equity of 31.45% and a net margin of 17.02%. AstraZeneca’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $2.38 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that AstraZeneca Plc will post 10.21 EPS for the current year.

AstraZeneca Profile

AstraZeneca plc is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The company discovers, develops and commercializes prescription medicines, with a focus on oncology, biopharmaceuticals and rare diseases. Its research and commercial operations serve patients and healthcare systems across more than 100 countries.

AstraZeneca’s portfolio includes medicines for cancer, respiratory and immune-mediated conditions, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, and rare disorders.