AstraZeneca PLC $AZN Shares Sold by ING Groep NV

Key Points

• ING Groep NV trimmed its AstraZeneca stake by 76% in Q3, selling 10,192 shares and leaving it with 3,220 shares valued at about $247,000 according to the latest 13F filing.
• AstraZeneca declared a $1.595 per-share dividend payable March 23 with a record/ex-dividend date of February 20, and a reported dividend payout ratio of 74.83%.
• Shares opened at $205.47 with a market cap of $318.66 billion and a 1-year range of $122.48–$206.71, while analysts are largely positive (nine Buys, one Sell) and the MarketBeat average price target is $95.75.

ING Groep NV trimmed its stake in shares of AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN - Free Report) by 76.0% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,220 shares of the company's stock after selling 10,192 shares during the quarter. ING Groep NV's holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $247,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 149.3% during the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 364 shares of the company's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the period. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of AstraZeneca in the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. boosted its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 144.0% in the third quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 466 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 275 shares in the last quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC acquired a new position in shares of AstraZeneca during the second quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC raised its holdings in AstraZeneca by 376.0% during the second quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 476 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 20.35% of the company's stock.

AstraZeneca Stock Performance

NASDAQ AZN opened at $205.47 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $112.72 and a 200 day moving average price of $92.95. The company has a market capitalization of $318.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 68.26, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.34. AstraZeneca PLC has a 1-year low of $122.48 and a 1-year high of $206.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.69.

AstraZeneca Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be given a $1.595 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. This represents a dividend yield of 165.0%. AstraZeneca's dividend payout ratio is currently 74.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. HSBC reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $108.00 price target on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Guggenheim reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Citigroup assumed coverage on AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a "buy (b)" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, AstraZeneca has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $95.75.

AstraZeneca Profile

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led 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's operations span research and development, large-scale manufacturing, and commercial distribution, with a presence in developed and emerging markets worldwide.

The company focuses on several core therapy areas including oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism (CVRM), respiratory and immunology, and rare diseases.

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