Cidel Asset Management Inc. Sells 21,125 Shares of AstraZeneca Plc $AZN

Key Points

• Cidel Asset Management reduced its AstraZeneca stake by 9%: The firm sold 21,125 shares during the third quarter, but still held 213,538 shares valued at approximately $34.49 million.
• 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, driven largely by 17% growth in oncology sales.
• The outlook remains broadly positive but carries risks: Management reaffirmed its 2026 growth guidance and highlighted more than $20 billion in potential from upcoming pipeline readouts, while generic competition for mature products such as Farxiga remains a headwind. Analysts give the stock a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating with a $206.67 price target.

Cidel Asset Management Inc. reduced its position in AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) by 9.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 213,538 shares of the company's stock after selling 21,125 shares during the quarter. AstraZeneca accounts for approximately 1.7% of Cidel Asset Management Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Cidel Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $34,490,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Amundi increased its position in AstraZeneca by 6.7% during the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 16,422,784 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,114,088,000 after purchasing an additional 1,036,635 shares during the period. Janus Henderson Group PLC raised its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 889.9% in the 1st quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 11,949,424 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,319,947,000 after purchasing an additional 10,742,268 shares in the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada lifted its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 208.6% in the 1st quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,386,455 shares of the company's stock worth $2,048,417,000 after purchasing an additional 7,021,126 shares during the period. Rathbones Group PLC lifted its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 106,772.0% in the 1st quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 8,054,943 shares of the company's stock worth $1,560,419,000 after purchasing an additional 8,047,406 shares during the period. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 546.1% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 6,667,812 shares of the company's stock worth $1,315,026,000 after purchasing an additional 5,635,812 shares during the period. 20.35% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about 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

AstraZeneca Trading Up 6.9%

NYSE AZN opened at $186.49 on Friday. 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 firm has a market cap of $289.23 billion, a PE ratio of 26.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.27. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $164.48 and a 200 day moving average price of $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 announced its earnings results on Friday, October 30th. The company reported $2.79 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.60 by $0.19. AstraZeneca had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The company had revenue of $16.21 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $2.38 earnings per share. AstraZeneca's revenue was up 6.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that AstraZeneca Plc will post 10.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Zacks Research upgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 13th. Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. They issued an "outperform" rating for the company. Citigroup restated a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Wall Street Zen raised AstraZeneca from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded AstraZeneca from a "hold (c+)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Monday, October 26th. Sixteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $206.67.

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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