1,929,102 Shares of AstraZeneca Plc $AZN Acquired by Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich

Key Points

• Bank Julius Baer acquired 1.93 million AstraZeneca shares worth approximately $314.4 million, giving it about a 0.12% stake. Institutional investors and hedge funds collectively own 20.35% of the company.
• AstraZeneca exceeded third-quarter expectations: core EPS was $2.79 versus the $2.60 consensus, while revenue rose 6.5% year over year to $16.21 billion. Oncology sales increased 17%, offsetting pressure from generic competition affecting mature products such as Farxiga.
• The outlook remains generally positive but mixed: management reaffirmed its 2026 growth guidance and highlighted more than $20 billion in potential from 2027 trial readouts, while analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $206.67.

Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich bought a new stake in AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 1,929,102 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $314,403,000. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich owned approximately 0.12% of AstraZeneca as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Pinkerton Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 4.7% in the third quarter. Pinkerton Wealth LLC now owns 35,873 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,792,000 after buying an additional 1,620 shares in the last quarter. Hoey Investments Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 327.3% in the third quarter. Hoey Investments Inc. now owns 329 shares of the company's stock valued at $53,000 after acquiring an additional 252 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of AstraZeneca in the third quarter worth approximately $1,148,000. Profund Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of AstraZeneca by 12.1% in the 3rd quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 3,921 shares of the company's stock valued at $633,000 after purchasing an additional 422 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Vise Technologies Inc. boosted its holdings in AstraZeneca by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Vise Technologies Inc. now owns 14,635 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,363,000 after purchasing an additional 416 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.35% of the company's stock.

Key Stories 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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded AstraZeneca from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday. CICC Research assumed coverage on AstraZeneca in a report on Sunday, August 23rd. They set an "outperform" rating and a $198.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings raised AstraZeneca from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research note on Monday, October 26th. HSBC downgraded AstraZeneca from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Finally, Nordea Equity Research raised shares of AstraZeneca from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. Sixteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, AstraZeneca presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $206.67.

AstraZeneca Trading Down 0.1%

AZN opened at $186.49 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $289.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.38, a PEG ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.24. 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 stock's fifty day moving average is $164.48 and its two-hundred day moving average is $180.21. AstraZeneca Plc has a 52 week low of $153.41 and a 52 week high of $212.71.

AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $2.79 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.19. AstraZeneca had a return on equity of 32.34% and a net margin of 17.68%. The business had revenue of $16.21 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $16 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.38 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts forecast that AstraZeneca Plc will post 10.21 earnings per share for the current year.

AstraZeneca Company 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.

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