Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) Rating Lowered to Strong Sell at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research downgraded AstraZeneca to “Strong Sell” from “Hold,” although broader analyst sentiment remains positive with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $206.67.
• AstraZeneca’s shares opened at $161.76, below both their 50-day and 200-day moving averages. The company recently beat quarterly EPS expectations, while revenue rose 6.4% year over year.
• Oncology developments were mixed: Tagrisso showed substantial long-term survival benefits, but the Phase III camizestrant trial failed to meet its primary endpoint, weakening expectations for a key future growth driver.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research note issued on Monday, Zacks reports.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on AZN. Barclays restated a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Monday, June 1st. CICC Research initiated coverage on Astrazeneca in a research report on Sunday, August 23rd. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $198.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Finally, Bank of America reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Astrazeneca currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $206.67.

Astrazeneca Stock Performance

Shares of Astrazeneca stock opened at $161.76 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.89 and a quick ratio of 0.67. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $164.96 and a 200 day simple moving average of $181.57. Astrazeneca has a fifty-two week low of $145.79 and a fifty-two week high of $212.71. The firm has a market cap of $250.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.18, a P/E/G ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.25.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $15.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.44 billion. Astrazeneca had a return on equity of 31.45% and a net margin of 17.02%.The business's revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.17 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Astrazeneca will post 9.34 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Astrazeneca

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Fisher Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 2.1% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 21,601,433 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,791,051,000 after acquiring an additional 438,709 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in Astrazeneca by 2.3% during the fourth quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 20,157,744 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,537,684,000 after purchasing an additional 445,014 shares during the period. Amundi grew its holdings in Astrazeneca by 6.7% during the second quarter. Amundi now owns 16,422,784 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,114,088,000 after purchasing an additional 1,036,635 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC increased its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 10,742,268 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased its stake in Astrazeneca by 208.6% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,386,455 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,048,417,000 after purchasing an additional 7,021,126 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines 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

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.

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