Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) Rating Lowered to Hold at Wall Street Zen

by · The Markets Daily

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN – Get Free Report) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Sunday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings cut Astrazeneca from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Astrazeneca from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, September 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Tuesday, June 30th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada began coverage on Astrazeneca in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Fourteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $206.67.

Read Our Latest Research Report on AZN

Astrazeneca Stock Down 0.6%

Shares of AZN stock opened at $158.25 on Friday. Astrazeneca has a 52-week low of $153.41 and a 52-week high of $212.71. The stock has a market cap of $245.43 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.65, a PEG ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 0.27. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $161.94 and its 200-day moving average is $176.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.89.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.50 by $0.13. The business had revenue of $15.38 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $15.44 billion. Astrazeneca had a return on equity of 31.45% and a net margin of 17.02%. Astrazeneca’s quarterly revenue was up 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.17 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Astrazeneca will post 9.36 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Amundi raised its position in shares of Astrazeneca by 146,574.4% during the first quarter. Amundi now owns 15,386,149 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,034,456,000 after acquiring an additional 15,375,659 shares during the last quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC boosted its holdings in Astrazeneca by 889.9% in the first quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 11,949,424 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,319,947,000 after acquiring an additional 10,742,268 shares during the last quarter. Rathbones Group PLC boosted its holdings in Astrazeneca by 106,772.0% in the first quarter. Rathbones Group PLC now owns 8,054,943 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,560,419,000 after acquiring an additional 8,047,406 shares during the last quarter. Royal Bank of Canada boosted its holdings in Astrazeneca by 208.6% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 10,386,455 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,048,417,000 after acquiring an additional 7,021,126 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Swiss National Bank acquired a new stake in Astrazeneca during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $1,202,714,000. 20.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Astrazeneca

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

  • Positive Sentiment: Detailed Phase III HICKORY data for efzimfotase alfa, an enzyme-replacement therapy for hypophosphatasia, could materially expand the drug’s commercial opportunity. Citi maintained its “buy” rating and £186 price target, estimating peak sales of up to $4.4 billion if the treatment receives broad approval for adults in the United States. AstraZeneca’s efzimfotase alfa adult data point to $4.4bn peak sales potential, says Citi
  • Neutral Sentiment: AstraZeneca presented efzimfotase alfa research and other bone-health data at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research’s 2026 meeting. The presentations provide additional visibility into the pipeline, but investors will likely await regulatory decisions and further commercialization details before assigning significant value. AstraZeneca PLC Presents at ASBMR 2026 Annual Meeting Transcript
  • Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains generally constructive, with Wall Street firms reportedly assigning AstraZeneca a “moderate buy” consensus. However, a separate Wall Street Zen downgrade introduces a more cautious technical or valuation perspective, contributing to mixed market signals. AstraZeneca Stock Rated Moderate Buy by Wall Street Brokerages
  • Negative Sentiment: AstraZeneca’s investment in Summit Therapeutics has raised concerns about capital allocation and the risk that investors may not immediately see sufficient returns from the deal. Those concerns appear to be weighing on sentiment despite the company’s promising pipeline updates. Why Are AstraZeneca Shares Edging Lower After the Summit Therapeutics Investment?

Astrazeneca Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

AstraZeneca PLC is a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Its research, development and commercial operations focus on prescription medicines for serious and chronic diseases, with an emphasis on discovering and delivering innovative therapies rather than operating as a diversified healthcare conglomerate.

The company’s principal therapeutic areas include oncology; cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases; respiratory and immunological conditions; and rare diseases.

Further Reading