Sivik Global Healthcare LLC Makes New Investment in Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Key Points

• 40,000 shares: Sivik Global Healthcare LLC bought a new Q4 position of 40,000 AstraZeneca shares valued at about $3.677 million, representing roughly 1.1% of its portfolio and its 27th-largest holding.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but leans positive—nine Buy ratings versus one Sell—giving AstraZeneca an average MarketBeat rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $95.75; notable calls include Deutsche Bank (sell) and Citigroup (buy).
• Company snapshot: AstraZeneca has a market cap of $311.28 billion, recently paid a $1.595 dividend (paid Mar 23) with a 66.26% payout ratio, and institutional investors own about 20.35% of the stock.

Sivik Global Healthcare LLC bought a new position in Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm bought 40,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,677,000. Astrazeneca comprises approximately 1.1% of Sivik Global Healthcare LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 27th largest position.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bangor Savings Bank lifted its holdings in Astrazeneca by 102.7% in the fourth quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 304 shares of the company's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. YANKCOM Partnership acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the 3rd quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca in the 3rd quarter worth about $35,000. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

AZN has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a "sell" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Friday, February 6th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of Astrazeneca from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday. Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued a "buy" rating on the stock. HSBC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $108.00 price objective on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. Finally, TD Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Astrazeneca currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $95.75.

Astrazeneca Price Performance

NYSE:AZN opened at $200.71 on Wednesday. Astrazeneca Plc has a 1 year low of $122.48 and a 1 year high of $212.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $311.28 billion, a PE ratio of 30.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51.

Astrazeneca Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th were given a $1.595 dividend. This represents a yield of 156.0%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 20th. Astrazeneca's dividend payout ratio is 66.26%.

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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