Astrazeneca (AZN) Stock Slides as Market Rises: Facts to Know Before You Trade

Group 1 - Astrazeneca's stock closed at $76.28, down 1.03% from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500, which gained 0.49% [1] - The stock has decreased by 4.21% over the past month, while the Medical sector and S&P 500 saw gains of 1.93% and 2.99%, respectively [1] Group 2 - Upcoming earnings per share (EPS) for Astrazeneca are projected at $1.13, an increase of 8.65% year-over-year, with revenue expected to reach $14.86 billion, reflecting a 9.57% rise [2] - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are estimated at $4.58 per share and revenue at $58.6 billion, indicating increases of 11.44% and 8.37% from the previous year [3] Group 3 - Recent changes in analyst estimates for Astrazeneca are important as they reflect shifts in short-term business dynamics, with positive revisions indicating confidence in performance [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, has a history of outperforming the market, with 1 stocks averaging a 25% annual gain since 1988 [5][6] Group 4 - Astrazeneca currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 16.82, which is lower than the industry average of 20.1, suggesting a valuation discount [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.42, compared to the industry average of 1.64, indicating a favorable growth valuation [7] Group 5 - The Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry, to which Astrazeneca belongs, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 99, placing it in the top 41% of over 250 industries [7][8] - Strong industry groups, as measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, tend to outperform weaker groups by a factor of 2 to 1 [8]