Tlwm Makes New $1.76 Million Investment in Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Key Points

• Tlwm acquired 9,279 AstraZeneca shares worth approximately $1.76 million during the second quarter, making the stock about 0.3% of its portfolio and its 29th-largest holding.
• AstraZeneca’s latest quarterly earnings beat estimates, with EPS of $2.63 versus the $2.50 consensus. Revenue rose 6.4% year over year to $15.38 billion, though it came in slightly below analysts’ expectations.
• Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $211, compared with the stock’s reported opening price of $161.41; 20.35% of shares are held by institutions and hedge funds.

Tlwm acquired a new position in shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 9,279 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,759,000. Astrazeneca accounts for approximately 0.3% of Tlwm's portfolio, making the stock its 29th biggest position.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in Astrazeneca in the third quarter valued at $25,000. MV Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Astrazeneca during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Mascoma Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Astrazeneca during the 1st quarter worth about $26,000. Roxbury Financial LLC acquired a new stake in Astrazeneca in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Eagle Bay Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Astrazeneca in the 4th quarter valued at about $30,000. 20.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Astrazeneca Price Performance

AZN stock opened at $161.41 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of $250.34 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.13, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.26. Astrazeneca Plc has a twelve month low of $145.79 and a twelve month high of $212.71. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $177.32 and a 200-day simple moving average of $187.40. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.44 billion. Astrazeneca had a net margin of 17.02% and a return on equity of 31.45%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.17 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Astrazeneca Plc will post 10.22 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of brokerages have recently commented on AZN. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Astrazeneca from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. HSBC cut shares of Astrazeneca from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 13th. Finally, DZ Bank raised shares of Astrazeneca from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Twelve research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $211.00.

Key Stories Impacting Astrazeneca

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: A senior source told Reuters that AstraZeneca and Bristol Myers Squibb are not discussing a transaction, effectively quashing the merger rumor. Investors appear to view the clarification favorably because it removes uncertainty surrounding deal financing, valuation and integration risks. Reuters report on AstraZeneca-Bristol Myers deal discussions
• Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca rebounded after the reports denied Bristol Myers takeover speculation. The shares had suffered a roughly 9% single-day selloff when the merger story first emerged, making the subsequent recovery a relief rally as investors reassessed the company’s standalone prospects. AZN rebound after merger denial
• Positive Sentiment: Traders purchased a high volume of AstraZeneca call options, indicating increased speculative interest and expectations for additional near-term gains or volatility following the merger-related selloff. AstraZeneca call option activity
• Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca also entered a multi-year collaboration with SOPHiA GENETICS to develop companion diagnostics for two precision-oncology therapy programs. The agreement supports the company’s targeted-cancer strategy, although its immediate financial impact is unclear. SOPHiA GENETICS collaboration announcement
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain divided on the strategic implications of the abandoned merger speculation. Citi said much of the deal-related risk was already reflected in AstraZeneca’s valuation, while other analysts compared the potential transaction with AstraZeneca’s earlier Alexion acquisition.
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP announced an investigation into potential claims on behalf of AstraZeneca investors. Such investor-alert announcements can add reputational and legal overhang, though no wrongdoing has been established. Pomerantz AstraZeneca investor alert

Astrazeneca Company 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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