Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA Sells 12,300 Shares of Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Key Points

• Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA cut its AstraZeneca stake by 77% in Q3, selling 12,300 shares and now holds 3,672 shares valued at $282,000 per its latest 13F filing.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but broadly positive with a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" (nine Buy, one Sell) and an average price target of $95.75, while individual firms range from downgrades to overweight/buy calls.
• AstraZeneca declared a dividend of $1.595 payable March 23 to shareholders of record on Feb 20; the article reports a yield of 156.0% and a dividend payout ratio of 66.26%.

Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA reduced its stake in Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN - Free Report) by 77.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,672 shares of the company's stock after selling 12,300 shares during the period. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA's holdings in Astrazeneca were worth $282,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Astrazeneca during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $31,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. grew its position in 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 during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC bought a new stake in Astrazeneca in the second quarter valued at $33,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC raised its stake 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 acquiring an additional 376 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Abound Wealth Management raised its stake in Astrazeneca by 1,767.9% during the third quarter. Abound Wealth Management now owns 523 shares of the company's stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 495 shares in the last quarter. 20.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Astrazeneca from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday. Morgan Stanley restated an "overweight" rating and set a $103.00 price target on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Weiss Ratings assumed coverage on Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday. They issued a "buy (b)" rating for the company. TD Cowen reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Tuesday, December 9th. Finally, Barclays restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $95.75.

Astrazeneca Price Performance

AZN opened at $190.20 on Friday. Astrazeneca Plc has a one year low of $122.48 and a one year high of $212.71. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The company has a market cap of $294.98 billion, a PE ratio of 29.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.45 and a beta of 0.32.

Astrazeneca Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be given a $1.595 dividend. This represents a yield of 156.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. Astrazeneca's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 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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