Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. Boosts Stock Position in Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc. raised its position in shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) by 17.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 83,539 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 12,255 shares during the quarter. Penobscot Investment Management Company Inc.’s holdings in Astrazeneca were worth $7,680,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in AZN. Bank of Montreal Can grew its stake in Astrazeneca by 344.6% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 3,478,114 shares of the company’s stock valued at $266,841,000 after purchasing an additional 2,695,793 shares during the last quarter. Holocene Advisors LP grew its stake in Astrazeneca by 41.8% during the 3rd quarter. Holocene Advisors LP now owns 6,129,194 shares of the company’s stock valued at $470,232,000 after purchasing an additional 1,807,565 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. grew its stake in Astrazeneca by 64.8% during the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 3,783,251 shares of the company’s stock valued at $264,373,000 after purchasing an additional 1,487,662 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its stake in Astrazeneca by 4.7% during the 3rd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 32,633,139 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,503,614,000 after purchasing an additional 1,461,786 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC grew its stake in Astrazeneca by 750.5% during the 4th quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 1,628,771 shares of the company’s stock valued at $149,147,000 after purchasing an additional 1,437,253 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AZN has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Citigroup initiated coverage on Astrazeneca in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Wall Street Zen cut Astrazeneca from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, April 4th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings started coverage on Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. They issued a “buy (b)” rating for the company. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Astrazeneca presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $102.67.

Astrazeneca Stock Down 2.4%

NYSE AZN opened at $195.94 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $303.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.35. Astrazeneca Plc has a twelve month low of $132.32 and a twelve month high of $212.71. 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 Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, February 20th were issued a $1.595 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 20th. This represents a yield of 156.0%. Astrazeneca’s dividend payout ratio is presently 74.83%.

Key Astrazeneca News

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ultomiris met the primary endpoint in a Phase III trial for IgA nephropathy (statistically significant reduction in proteinuria), supporting prospects for accelerated approvals and label expansion in a rare kidney disease. AstraZeneca’s Ultomiris reduces urine protein in late-stage trial of rare kidney disease
• Positive Sentiment: Tozorakimab delivered a third Phase III success (MIRANDA) with a sharp reduction in moderate‑to‑severe COPD flare‑ups; Citi sees blockbuster potential (~$5bn peak sales) — a material long‑term revenue catalyst if launches and uptake follow. AstraZeneca’s tozorakimab delivers sharp reduction in COPD flare‑ups
• Neutral Sentiment: Broker consensus remains constructive (average “Moderate Buy”), which supports near‑term analyst backing but may already be reflected in the share price. Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: AstraZeneca’s CEO warned Germany risks missing out on new drugs if it tightens pharmaceutical spending — a signal of potential pricing/reimbursement headwinds in a major European market that could slow adoption and revenue ramp for new launches. Germany risks missing out on new drugs, AstraZeneca CEO tells paper

About Astrazeneca

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.