Astrazeneca Plc $AZN Holdings Lifted by Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd

Key Points

• Evelyn Partners significantly increased its AstraZeneca position by 497,873 shares in the first quarter, bringing its total holdings to 498,147 shares valued at approximately $96.8 million. AstraZeneca now represents about 11.4% of the firm’s portfolio and its largest position.
• AstraZeneca reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings, with EPS of $2.63 versus the $2.50 consensus, while revenue rose 6.4% year over year to $15.38 billion but narrowly missed estimates. Strong oncology and rare-disease demand supported results, and management maintained its 2026 outlook.
• Risks remain from pipeline and pricing pressures: the Ultomiris late-stage trial failed its primary goal, while weaker conditions in China, generic competition and potential U.S. pricing constraints could weigh on future growth. Analysts nevertheless maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with a $211 target price.

Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) by 181,705.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 498,147 shares of the company's stock after buying an additional 497,873 shares during the period. Astrazeneca makes up about 11.4% of Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd's holdings, making the stock its biggest position. Evelyn Partners Investment Management Services Ltd's holdings in Astrazeneca were worth $96,792,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. IHT Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca by 0.3% in the 4th quarter. IHT Wealth Management LLC now owns 17,527 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,076,000 after purchasing an additional 54 shares during the period. Visionary Wealth Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca by 1.5% during the fourth quarter. Visionary Wealth Advisors now owns 4,197 shares of the company's stock worth $737,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the period. Vista Investment Management grew its position in Astrazeneca by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Vista Investment Management now owns 21,215 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,723,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC grew its position in Astrazeneca by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. Kestra Investment Management LLC now owns 3,391 shares of the company's stock valued at $595,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Luken Investment Analytics LLC increased its stake in Astrazeneca by 4.3% in the 4th quarter. Luken Investment Analytics LLC now owns 1,564 shares of the company's stock valued at $274,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the period. 20.35% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Astrazeneca News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Profit beat and outlook maintained: Second-quarter earnings were $2.63 per share, well above the $2.10 analyst consensus. AstraZeneca also backed its 2026 forecasts, helping ease concerns about longer-term growth. AstraZeneca beats second-quarter profit expectations, holds outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Oncology and rare-disease demand remained strong: Growth from cancer, heart-disease and rare-disease therapies helped offset weaker sales in other products and increasing generic competition. First-half revenue rose 9% to $30.7 billion, or 6% at constant exchange rates. AZN Q2 Earnings and Sales Beat, Key Drugs Offset Generic Pressure
• Neutral Sentiment: Revenue slightly missed expectations: Quarterly revenue increased 6.4% year over year to $15.38 billion, narrowly below the $15.44 billion analyst estimate. Management is also navigating weaker conditions in China and the loss of exclusivity for certain products. AstraZeneca Q2 2026 Earnings Call Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Pipeline setback: Ultomiris failed to meet the main goal in a late-stage trial involving a blood-vessel complication after stem-cell transplantation. The result adds to recent concerns about AstraZeneca’s development pipeline, although the company’s established portfolio supported the quarter. AstraZeneca's rare disease drug misses main goal in late-stage trial
• Negative Sentiment: U.S. pricing pressure remains a risk: AstraZeneca is adjusting pricing strategies for new medicines in response to the Trump administration’s most-favoured-nation policy, which could constrain future pricing and margins in the U.S. AstraZeneca drug prices evolving in response to Trump policy

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on AZN shares. Barclays reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Monday, June 1st. Bank of America reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. UBS Group reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Friday, April 10th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a "sell" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Tuesday, June 30th. Finally, DZ Bank raised Astrazeneca from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Astrazeneca currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $211.00.

Astrazeneca Stock Performance

AZN stock opened at $170.02 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The company has a market capitalization of $263.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.24. Astrazeneca Plc has a 12 month low of $142.98 and a 12 month high of $212.71. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $180.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of $187.99.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.13. Astrazeneca had a net margin of 17.19% and a return on equity of 30.86%. The business had revenue of $15.38 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.44 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $2.17 EPS. Astrazeneca's revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Astrazeneca Plc will post 10.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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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