Advisors Asset Management Inc. Acquires 3,831 Shares of AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN)

Advisors Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) by 6.8% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 60,455 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,831 shares during the quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $4,096,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Lindbrook Capital LLC boosted its position in AstraZeneca by 1.7% in the first quarter. Lindbrook Capital LLC now owns 8,005 shares of the company’s stock valued at $542,000 after buying an additional 137 shares in the last quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co boosted its position in AstraZeneca by 40.6% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 506 shares of the company’s stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. Gallacher Capital Management LLC boosted its position in AstraZeneca by 2.8% in the first quarter. Gallacher Capital Management LLC now owns 5,431 shares of the company’s stock valued at $368,000 after buying an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in AstraZeneca by 8.9% in the fourth quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,851 shares of the company’s stock valued at $125,000 after buying an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sage Mountain Advisors LLC boosted its position in AstraZeneca by 2.7% in the first quarter. Sage Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 6,017 shares of the company’s stock valued at $408,000 after buying an additional 158 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on AZN. Barclays upgraded shares of AstraZeneca to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, June 24th. Argus upped their target price on shares of AstraZeneca from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of AstraZeneca from $80.00 to $82.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, April 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. They set a “buy” rating and a $97.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Citigroup upgraded shares of AstraZeneca to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, June 24th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $88.00.

AstraZeneca Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of AZN stock traded down $0.39 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $78.13. 5,878,428 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,328,704. The business has a 50 day moving average of $78.52 and a two-hundred day moving average of $71.86. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. AstraZeneca PLC has a 52 week low of $60.47 and a 52 week high of $80.86. The company has a market capitalization of $242.25 billion, a PE ratio of 38.93, a PEG ratio of 1.44 and a beta of 0.45.

AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 25th. The company reported $1.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.95 by $0.08. AstraZeneca had a net margin of 13.30% and a return on equity of 30.42%. The company had revenue of $12.68 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.92 billion. Analysts anticipate that AstraZeneca PLC will post 4.03 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

AstraZeneca Profile

AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The company's marketed products include Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Lynparza, Calquence, Enhertu, Orpathys, Truqap, Zoladex, Faslodex, Farxiga, Brilinta, Lokelma, Roxadustat, Andexxa, Crestor, Seloken, Onglyza, Bydureon, Fasenra, Breztri, Symbicort, Saphnelo, Tezspire, Pulmicort, Bevespi, and Daliresp for cardiovascular, renal, metabolism, and oncology.