AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) Stock Has Average Price Target of $206.67 According to Brokerages

Key Points

• Analysts rate AstraZeneca “Moderate Buy”: Of 19 analysts covering the stock, 16 recommend buying and three recommend holding; the average one-year price target is $206.67.
• Latest quarterly results topped expectations: AstraZeneca reported EPS of $2.79 versus $2.60 expected and revenue of $16.21 billion versus $16 billion expected. Revenue rose 6.5% year over year.
• AZN shares opened at $186.65, within a 52-week range of $153.41 to $212.71. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the stock.

AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the nineteen ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and sixteen have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $206.67.

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup reissued a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, October 6th. HSBC downgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Monday, October 26th. Nordea Equity Research upgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of AstraZeneca from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 13th.

Institutional Trading of AstraZeneca

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of AZN. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in AstraZeneca during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Roxbury Financial LLC acquired a new stake in AstraZeneca during the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Resources Management Corp CT ADV acquired a new stake in shares of AstraZeneca during the first quarter worth about $35,000. Allied Private Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in AstraZeneca during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Finally, Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in AstraZeneca during the third quarter valued at $30,000. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company's stock.

AstraZeneca Price Performance

Shares of AZN stock opened at $186.65 on Friday. AstraZeneca has a 52-week low of $153.41 and a 52-week high of $212.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 1.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $289.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.24. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $166.04 and a 200 day moving average price of $180.20.

AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $2.79 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.19. AstraZeneca had a return on equity of 31.85% and a net margin of 17.68%. The company had revenue of $16.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $2.38 EPS. AstraZeneca's quarterly revenue was up 6.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that AstraZeneca will post 10.22 earnings per share for the current year.

About AstraZeneca

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.

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