CenterBook Partners LP Invests $2.40 Million in AstraZeneca PLC $AZN

CenterBook Partners LP acquired a new position in shares of AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm acquired 31,263 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,398,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AZN. NewSquare Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of AstraZeneca by 149.3% in the second quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 364 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 218 shares in the last quarter. Rakuten Investment Management Inc. acquired a new position in AstraZeneca in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC grew its position in AstraZeneca by 376.0% in the 2nd quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 376 shares in the last quarter. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in AstraZeneca during the second quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of AstraZeneca by 144.0% in the third 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 during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

AstraZeneca Stock Up 0.0%

Shares of NASDAQ AZN opened at $208.76 on Friday. The business has a 50-day moving average of $122.11 and a two-hundred day moving average of $96.53. The company has a market capitalization of $323.77 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 69.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.34. AstraZeneca PLC has a 1 year low of $122.48 and a 1 year high of $212.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.69.

AstraZeneca Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 23rd. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 20th will be given a dividend of $1.595 per share. This represents a dividend yield of 153.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 20th. AstraZeneca’s payout ratio is currently 74.83%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently weighed in on AZN. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Monday, October 27th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. HSBC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $108.00 price objective on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. Citigroup started coverage on AstraZeneca in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $95.75.

AstraZeneca Profile

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.