Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. Makes New $1.05 Million Investment in AstraZeneca PLC $AZN

Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 13,666 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,048,000.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of AZN. NewSquare Capital LLC raised its position in AstraZeneca by 149.3% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 364 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,000 after acquiring an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of AstraZeneca during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC grew its stake in shares of AstraZeneca by 376.0% during the 2nd quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 376 shares during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of AstraZeneca in the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 144.0% in the 3rd quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 466 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 275 shares in the last quarter. 20.35% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AstraZeneca Stock Up 0.5%

AZN stock opened at $205.47 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.69. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $112.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $92.82. AstraZeneca PLC has a 12 month low of $122.48 and a 12 month high of $206.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $318.66 billion, a PE ratio of 68.26, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.34.

AstraZeneca Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $1.595 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 20th. This represents a yield of 165.0%. AstraZeneca’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.77%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms recently commented on AZN. Guggenheim reissued a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, December 9th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $103.00 price target on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Wednesday, December 3rd. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $95.75.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, science-led 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’s operations span research and development, large-scale manufacturing, and commercial distribution, with a presence in developed and emerging markets worldwide.

The company focuses on several core therapy areas including oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolism (CVRM), respiratory and immunology, and rare diseases.