AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) Shares Acquired by Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc.

Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN – Get Rating) by 14.9% in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 113,662 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 14,726 shares during the period. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in AstraZeneca were worth $6,233,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust raised its position in shares of AstraZeneca by 4,875.0% in the first quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 398 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 390 shares during the last quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. grew its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 129.5% in the third quarter. Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. now owns 514 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 290 shares during the period. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in shares of AstraZeneca in the first quarter valued at about $28,000. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can grew its holdings in shares of AstraZeneca by 102.7% in the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 525 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 266 shares during the period. Finally, Carolinas Wealth Consulting LLC purchased a new stake in shares of AstraZeneca in the third quarter valued at about $38,000. 16.42% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

AstraZeneca Trading Down 0.8 %

Shares of AZN stock opened at $64.58 on Thursday. The company has a 50-day moving average of $67.21 and a two-hundred day moving average of $63.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.68. AstraZeneca PLC has a 1-year low of $52.65 and a 1-year high of $72.12. The firm has a market cap of $200.17 billion, a PE ratio of 60.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.51.

AstraZeneca Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a semi-annual dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 24th will be paid a $0.985 dividend. This is a positive change from AstraZeneca’s previous semi-annual dividend of $0.47. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 23rd. This represents a dividend yield of 2%. AstraZeneca’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 180.38%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Thursday, January 5th. They issued an “outperform” rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price objective on shares of AstraZeneca from £125 ($152.35) to £135 ($164.53) in a report on Tuesday, January 3rd. UBS Group upped their price objective on shares of AstraZeneca from £101 ($123.10) to £119 ($145.03) in a report on Tuesday, February 21st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of AstraZeneca from £120 ($146.25) to £130 ($158.44) in a report on Thursday, December 15th. Finally, Berenberg Bank increased their target price on shares of AstraZeneca from GBX 118 ($1.44) to GBX 126 ($1.54) in a research note on Wednesday, January 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $10,825.11.

AstraZeneca Profile

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AstraZeneca Plc is a holding company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. It focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines in Oncology and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology.