Centiva Capital LP Takes Position in Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Centiva Capital LP acquired a new position in shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 8,330 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $639,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of AZN. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its position in Astrazeneca by 344.6% during the third 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. Fayez Sarofim & Co increased its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca by 173.4% in the 2nd quarter. Fayez Sarofim & Co now owns 3,745,902 shares of the company’s stock worth $261,764,000 after buying an additional 2,376,032 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca by 64.8% in the 2nd quarter. Raymond James Financial Inc. now owns 3,783,251 shares of the company’s stock worth $264,373,000 after buying an additional 1,487,662 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE raised its position in shares of 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 buying an additional 1,461,786 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board purchased a new stake in shares of Astrazeneca during the 2nd quarter valued at $96,936,000. 20.35% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Astrazeneca Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:AZN opened at $190.20 on Monday. Astrazeneca Plc has a 12-month low of $122.48 and a 12-month high of $212.71. The stock has a market cap of $294.98 billion, a PE ratio of 32.77, a P/E/G ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 0.32. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51.

Astrazeneca Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Investors of record on Friday, February 20th will be issued a dividend of $1.595 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. This represents a yield of 156.0%. Astrazeneca’s dividend payout ratio is currently 66.26%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. 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. Wall Street Zen lowered Astrazeneca from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday. Weiss Ratings began coverage on Astrazeneca in a report on Wednesday. They issued a “buy (b)” rating for the company. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $95.75.

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.