180 Wealth Advisors LLC Invests $3.89 Million in Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Key Points

• 180 Wealth Advisors acquired 20,498 AstraZeneca shares worth approximately $3.89 million in the second quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 20.35% of the company.
• AstraZeneca’s latest quarterly results exceeded earnings expectations, with EPS of $2.63 versus the $2.50 consensus, while revenue rose 6.4% year over year to $15.38 billion.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $211, although ratings include both buy and sell recommendations; AZN recently traded at $161.41, below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages.

180 Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 20,498 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,887,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Astrazeneca in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Astrazeneca in the 1st quarter valued at $26,000. Roxbury Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Astrazeneca during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Astrazeneca during the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.35% of the company's stock.

Astrazeneca Stock Performance

Shares of AZN stock opened at $161.41 on Thursday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $177.32 and a two-hundred day moving average of $187.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $250.34 billion, a PE ratio of 24.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.26. 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 Plc has a 52 week low of $145.79 and a 52 week high of $212.71.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share 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 return on equity of 31.45% and a net margin of 17.02%.The company's revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.17 earnings per share. On average, research analysts predict that Astrazeneca Plc will post 10.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Astrazeneca from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday, April 8th. UBS Group restated a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Friday, April 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Astrazeneca has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $211.00.

More Astrazeneca News

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: A senior source told Reuters that AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb are not discussing a transaction, effectively quashing the merger rumor. Investors appear to view the clarification favorably because it removes uncertainty surrounding deal financing, valuation and integration risks. Reuters report on AstraZeneca-Bristol Myers deal discussions
• Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca rebounded after the reports denied Bristol Myers takeover speculation. The shares had suffered a roughly 9% single-day selloff when the merger story first emerged, making the subsequent recovery a relief rally as investors reassessed the company’s standalone prospects. AZN rebound after merger denial
• Positive Sentiment: Traders purchased a high volume of AstraZeneca call options, indicating increased speculative interest and expectations for additional near-term gains or volatility following the merger-related selloff. AstraZeneca call option activity
• Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca also entered a multi-year collaboration with SOPHiA GENETICS to develop companion diagnostics for two precision-oncology therapy programs. The agreement supports the company’s targeted-cancer strategy, although its immediate financial impact is unclear. SOPHiA GENETICS collaboration announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain divided on the strategic implications of the abandoned merger speculation. Citi said much of the deal-related risk was already reflected in AstraZeneca’s valuation, while other analysts compared the potential transaction with AstraZeneca’s earlier Alexion acquisition.
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP announced an investigation into potential claims on behalf of AstraZeneca investors. Such investor-alert announcements can add reputational and legal overhang, though no wrongdoing has been established. Pomerantz AstraZeneca investor alert

Astrazeneca Profile

AstraZeneca plc is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, England. Formed through the 1999 merger of Sweden’s Astra AB and the UK’s Zeneca Group, the company researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines across a range of therapeutic areas. AstraZeneca positions itself as R&D-driven, investing in discovery science, clinical development and regulatory processes to bring new therapies to market.

The company’s commercial portfolio and late-stage pipeline emphasize oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic (CVRM) diseases, and respiratory and immunology.

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