Chesley Taft & Associates LLC Acquires 25,985 Shares of Astrazeneca Plc $AZN

Chesley Taft & Associates LLC increased its holdings in shares of Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) by 20.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 152,750 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 25,985 shares during the period. Chesley Taft & Associates LLC’s holdings in Astrazeneca were worth $14,042,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AZN. Binnacle Investments Inc boosted its stake in shares of Astrazeneca by 21.8% in the 3rd quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc now owns 660 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,000 after purchasing an additional 118 shares in the last quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. raised its position in Astrazeneca by 3.3% in the 3rd quarter. Chapin Davis Inc. now owns 3,795 shares of the company’s stock worth $291,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the period. 44 Wealth Management LLC lifted its stake in Astrazeneca by 0.7% in the third quarter. 44 Wealth Management LLC now owns 16,722 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,283,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares during the last quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC boosted its position in Astrazeneca by 30.6% during the third quarter. CoreCap Advisors LLC now owns 534 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the period. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in Astrazeneca by 32.0% during the third quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 532 shares of the company’s stock valued at $41,000 after buying an additional 129 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 20.35% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AZN has been the topic of several analyst reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “sell” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a report on Friday, February 6th. TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday, March 18th. Citigroup assumed coverage on Astrazeneca in a research note on Tuesday, January 27th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Astrazeneca in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised Astrazeneca from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 20th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $95.75.

Key Astrazeneca News

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Late‑stage trial win — Tozorakimab met primary goals in two pivotal trials, reducing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease flare‑ups versus placebo; the surprise positive readout is driving optimism about near‑term commercialization potential and pipeline momentum. AstraZeneca stock jumps 4% after surprise trial win for lung disease drug where rivals have failed
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory and commercial implications — Reuters and other outlets highlight the meaningful reduction in flare‑ups and the significance of a successful phase III outcome for a disease area where competitors have struggled, which increases the drug’s value on AstraZeneca’s roadmap. AstraZeneca drug reduces COPD flare ups in late-stage trials
• Positive Sentiment: Clinical confirmation across endpoints — The Wall Street Journal and other reports emphasize that the trials hit their primary endpoints by lowering symptom worsening rates, reinforcing confidence in the data’s robustness and the potential for label and payer discussions. AstraZeneca Lung Disease Drug Candidate Hits Goals in Late-Stage Trials
• Neutral Sentiment: Stock movement vs. market — Coverage notes AZN advanced while broader markets were down, indicating the move is company‑specific (trial news/pipeline) rather than market driven. Astrazeneca (AZN) Advances While Market Declines: Some Information for Investors
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst positioning — AstraZeneca has a consensus analyst rating of “Moderate Buy,” which supports the stock’s upside but does not by itself explain today’s move; analyst views may follow as investigators and investors digest full data and commercial assumptions. Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) Receives Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” from Analysts

Astrazeneca Trading Up 2.8%

Astrazeneca stock opened at $188.57 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.72, a current ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The stock has a market cap of $292.45 billion, a PE ratio of 28.79, a PEG ratio of 1.42 and a beta of 0.32. Astrazeneca Plc has a 1-year low of $122.48 and a 1-year high of $212.71.

Astrazeneca Dividend Announcement

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

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.