Rafferty Asset Management LLC Sells 7,892 Shares of AstraZeneca PLC $AZN

Rafferty Asset Management LLC reduced its position in AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) by 4.7% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 160,498 shares of the company’s stock after selling 7,892 shares during the quarter. Rafferty Asset Management LLC’s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $12,313,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. NewSquare Capital LLC lifted its stake in shares of AstraZeneca by 149.3% during the 2nd 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. bought a new stake in AstraZeneca during the third quarter valued at about $31,000. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in AstraZeneca by 144.0% during the third quarter. E Fund Management Hong Kong Co. Ltd. now owns 466 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 275 shares during the period. VSM Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of AstraZeneca in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of AstraZeneca by 376.0% in the second quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 476 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,000 after acquiring an additional 376 shares during the period. 20.35% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AstraZeneca Trading Up 2.3%

Shares of AZN opened at $208.72 on Monday. 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 firm has a market capitalization of $323.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 69.34, a PEG ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a 50-day moving average of $135.91 and a 200 day moving average of $102.37. AstraZeneca PLC has a 1-year low of $122.48 and a 1-year high of $212.71.

AstraZeneca Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced 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. This represents a yield of 156.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 20th. AstraZeneca’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 74.83%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently commented on AZN shares. HSBC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $108.00 price target on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. TD Cowen reissued a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, January 17th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “sell” rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Friday, February 6th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, AstraZeneca presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $95.75.

AstraZeneca Company 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.