AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) AI Stock Analysis

AstraZeneca PLC is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and distribution of prescription medicines worldwide. Its portfolio spans multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology treatments such as Calquence, Enhertu, Lynparza, and Tagrisso. It also provides medicines for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases, including Brilinta/Brilique, Farxiga/Forxiga, and Crestor. AstraZeneca addresses respiratory and immunological conditions with products such as Symbicort, Fasenra, and Pulmicort, alongside rare disease treatments like Kanuma and Ultomiris. Additionally, the company developed COVID-19 products such as Vaxzevria and Evusheld, collaborating with partners including Neurimmune AG.

AstraZeneca expanded its annual revenue from $37.42B in FY2021 to $44.35B in FY2022, $45.81B in FY2023, $54.07B in FY2024, and $58.74B in FY2025. Annual net income rose from $112.0M in FY2021 to $10.26B in FY2025, while gross margin expanded from 66.8% to 81.9% over the same period. Operating margin improved from 2.8% in FY2021 to 23.4% in FY2025, supported by research and development spending of $14.23B in FY2025. For the trailing twelve months, revenue reached $61.37B with a net profit margin of 17.0%. In the latest quarter ended June 30, 2026, quarterly revenue grew 6.4% year-over-year, while quarterly earnings grew 2.5%.

As of June 30, 2026, AstraZeneca held $4.96B in cash and short-term investments against total debt of $32.20B, resulting in net debt of $27.24B. The company recorded shareholders' equity of $50.24B, total assets of $115.70B, a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, and a current ratio of 0.89. In FY2025, operating cash flow reached $14.57B and free cash flow was $8.67B. During FY2025, AstraZeneca allocated $5.91B to capital expenditures, paid $4.97B in dividends, and executed $719.7M in share buybacks.

At a market capitalization of $256.54B and enterprise value of $290.01B, AstraZeneca trades at a trailing P/E of 23.8x, compared to the median of 24.6x for its US-listed Healthcare peers. Its forward P/E of 14.6x stands below the US-listed Healthcare median of 17.3x, while its EV-to-EBITDA multiple of 14.2x is higher than the peer median of 12.0x. AstraZeneca shares closed at $165.41 on October 16, 2026, reflecting a 1-year return of 0.4% versus 16.8% for the S&P 500. Over 5 years, the stock returned 52.4%, trailing the 83.0% return of the S&P 500.

AstraZeneca pays a semiannual dividend with an annualized forward dividend of $3.20 per share, representing a dividend yield of 1.94%. The payout ratio stands at 63.2%, and the company has maintained consecutive dividend payments for 34 years. Over the past five years, dividend growth annualized reached 2.3%, following the most recent ex-dividend date on August 7, 2026.

Analyst coverage shows 7 Strong Buy, 3 Buy, 1 Hold, 0 Sell, and 1 Strong Sell recommendations. The mean price target is $207.16, which is 25.2% above the last close of $165.41. For FY2026 ending December 31, 2026, consensus estimates anticipate revenue of $63.40B and EPS of $10.05, representing EPS growth of 119.4%. AstraZeneca exceeded EPS expectations in 3 of the last 4 quarters, with its next earnings date scheduled for October 30, 2026.

This page is an AI-written research summary of AstraZeneca PLC (AZN). The text was generated on October 30, 2026 from Quotelinks data as of October 16, 2026 (company profile, annual results, latest balance sheet, valuation, price performance and analyst estimates). An automatic check rejects any draft that contains a figure not found in that data. It is not investment advice; verify figures on the linked tabs before making decisions.

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