Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Barclays sees "compelling" entry point at AstraZeneca after recent falls

(Sharecast News) - Barclays has kept an 'overweight' position on AstraZeneca despite the biopharma group's disappointing annual results last week, saying that the stock's recent underperformance provides an attractive entry point for investors. Shares in AstraZeneca dropped on Thursday after fourth-quarter core earnings per share rose by just 7% year-on-year to $1.45, which was a 3% miss against consensus forecasts.

The stock, down nearly 2% on Monday, has now fallen 8.8% since the results were released and now stand at a 52-week low of 9,564.7p.

"The last time AZN moved that much on a print (3Q21), the magnitude of the EPS miss/subsequent downgrades was far greater," Barclays said.

As a result of the fourth-quarter numbers, Barclays trimmed its 2024 EPS forecasts by 2%. However, the bank still sees significant upside with a price target of 12,500p.

"We think this presents a compelling entry point for a best-in-class company," Barclays said.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

UBS to book $900m provision over Greensill supply financing funds
(Sharecast News) - Swiss banking giant UBS announced on Monday that it expected to book a provision of about $900m related to Credit Suisse's funds, tied to the collapsed supply chain financing firm Greensill Capital.
Citi downgrades European equities to 'neutral'
(Sharecast News) - Citi downgraded its stance on European equities on Monday to 'neutral' from 'overweight' as it said near-term risks have increased, with markets narrowing and political uncertainty taking centre stage.
Hutchmed publishes positive sovleplenib trial results
(Sharecast News) - Hutchmed China announced the publication of positive results from its phase three 'ESLIM-01' trial of sovleplenib in the Lancet Haematology.
Somero trading in line with expectations
(Sharecast News) - Somero Enterprises said in an update on Monday that trading for the first five months of 2024 was consistent with expectations.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.