Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) to Issue GBP 0.80 Dividend

Astrazeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN) declared a dividend on Tuesday, February 10th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 7th will be given a dividend of 0.795 per share on Tuesday, September 8th. This represents a yield of 94.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 7th.

Astrazeneca has raised its dividend by an average of 0.0%annually over the last three years. Astrazeneca has a dividend payout ratio of 85.3% indicating that its dividend is currently covered by earnings, but may not be in the future if the company’s earnings tumble. Equities analysts expect Astrazeneca to earn $11.39 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $4.34 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 38.1%.

Astrazeneca Trading Down 1.4%

Shares of NYSE:AZN opened at $155.79 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.67 and a current ratio of 0.89. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $177.81 and its 200-day moving average is $187.53. The company has a market cap of $241.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.29, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 0.26. Astrazeneca has a 52-week low of $145.79 and a 52-week high of $212.71.

Astrazeneca (NYSE:AZN) last announced its earnings results on Monday, July 27th. The company reported $2.63 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.13. The firm had revenue of $15.38 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $15.44 billion. Astrazeneca had a return on equity of 31.45% and a net margin of 17.02%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $2.17 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Astrazeneca will post 10.22 earnings per share for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Astrazeneca

Here are the key news stories impacting Astrazeneca this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Traders bought 7,812 AZN call options, about 267% above the typical daily volume of 2,130 contracts. The activity may signal that some investors expect a rebound or believe the market has overreacted to the merger concerns. Traders Purchase High Volume of Call Options on Astrazeneca
• Positive Sentiment: AstraZeneca announced a multi-year collaboration with SOPHiA GENETICS to develop and commercialize two companion-diagnostic programs for precision oncology therapies. The agreement could support the company’s targeted-cancer portfolio, although financial terms were not disclosed. SOPHiA GENETICS Enters Collaboration to Develop Companion Diagnostics for Precision Oncology Therapies
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts are divided over the reported AstraZeneca–Bristol Myers Squibb transaction. Citi believes much of the deal risk is already reflected in AZN’s valuation, while Deutsche Bank sees strategic similarities to AstraZeneca’s Alexion acquisition. Conversely, RBC reportedly considers a completed deal unlikely because of divergent shareholder views. Brokers split on AstraZeneca merger talk as shares recover some ground
• Negative Sentiment: The potential roughly $400 billion merger has raised concerns that AstraZeneca could overpay for Bristol Myers, assume substantial debt, dilute shareholders, and take on a slower-growth portfolio. Those concerns triggered the stock’s steep decline and remain the primary driver of investor sentiment. As portfolio erodes, BMS stands to gain a lot from rumored AstraZeneca merger
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP is investigating potential claims on behalf of AstraZeneca investors. The announcement adds legal and reputational uncertainty, though it does not establish wrongdoing or indicate that a lawsuit has been filed. Pomerantz Law Firm Investigates Claims On Behalf of Investors of AstraZeneca

Astrazeneca Company Profile

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.