Should I buy AstraZeneca stock in 2025?

What is AstraZeneca?

How much is the AstraZeneca stock?

The price of AstraZeneca stock is rising this week. Currently trading at $70.87 USD, the share has gained $0.49 (up 0.70%) over the last 24 hours and remains steady within the $70–$71 range week-on-week. AstraZeneca’s market capitalisation stands at $219.7 billion, with a 3-month average volume of approximately 6 million shares. The stock’s price/earnings ratio is 28.46, the dividend yield is 2.19%, and the beta sits at a very low 0.18. With its stable performance and low volatility, AstraZeneca continues to be a strong contender for Irish investors seeking reliability in the healthcare sector.

Our full analysis on AstraZeneca stock

Having analysed AstraZeneca’s latest financial results alongside its share price evolution over the past three years, our proprietary process—melding company fundamentals, technical signals, macro trends, and sector peer comparison—paints a compelling picture of underlying strength and resilience. The integration of quantitative and qualitative data sources signals that AstraZeneca may be entering a pivotal period for investors seeking growth exposure in global healthcare innovation. So, why might AstraZeneca stock once again become a strategic entry point into the biopharmaceutical sector in 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

AstraZeneca shares (NASDAQ: AZN; LSE: AZN) currently trade at $70.87, showing steady performance over the past week in the $70–71 range and maintaining a robust 52-week span of $61.24–$87.68. Over the past three years, AZN has demonstrated both defensive characteristics and strong momentum, benefiting from persistent healthcare demand and sector innovation. The 2024 full-year results delivered a 21% revenue increase, with net profit up 18%, handily outpacing sector peers and exceeding analyst revenue forecasts by 1.4%. This track record is buttressed by a macroeconomic environment increasingly supportive of large-cap pharmaceuticals, especially as defence against cyclical volatility grows in appeal among institutional investors.

• February 2025: The release of exceptional FY2024 results confirmed strong execution and ambitious guidance.
• May 2025: A positive recommendation for Imfinzi’s approval by the European CHMP signals further expansion into profitable oncology indications.
• 2024: The company reported nine successful Phase III clinical trials, reinforcing pipeline credibility.
• June 2024: Implementation of respiratory medication cost caps in the US demonstrated AstraZeneca’s agility in navigating policy headwinds and strengthening its ESG credentials.

This landscape, coupled with the company’s $219.7 billion market capitalization and a modest 0.18 beta, signals that AstraZeneca stands resilient and attractive amid global uncertainty.

Technical Analysis

AZN’s technical backdrop signals an emerging bullish phase:

• Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 55.07 is neutral, suggesting room for upward movement without short-term overbought risk.
• MACD at 0.17 flashes a buy signal, indicative of building positive momentum.
• Moving averages support a bullish trend in the short to medium term:
• MA5: $70.51 (Buy)
• MA20: $69.59 (Buy)
• MA50: $70.03 (Buy)
• MA200: $72.00 (Sell) – yet price consolidation just below this level could lay the foundation for a bullish breakout.
• Support and resistance:
• Strong support at $69.46 (S3)
• Key resistance at $71.23 (R3)
• Pivot point sits at $70.30, a zone of healthy trading interest

The overall technical consensus, with thirteen bullish signals versus only six bearish, leans strongly positive. The current trading window near technical support offers an engagement zone for investors with a positive medium-term outlook.

Fundamental Analysis

AstraZeneca’s fundamentals articulate a narrative of consistent growth and multidimensional strength:

• Revenue Growth: 2024 full-year revenues reached $54.073 billion (+21%), with Q1 2025 adding $13.6 billion (+10%), illustrating remarkable core business expansion.
• Profitability: 2024 net profit hit $7.04 billion (+18% year-over-year), confirming operational leverage and disciplined cost control.
• Valuation: The current P/E ratio of 28.46 situates AZN at a sector premium, but this is justified by innovation leadership, strong brand equity, and double-digit growth guidance. Its dividend yield of 2.19% provides income in addition to growth, while the PEG and price/sales ratios remain aligned with Big Pharma innovators.
• Structural Strengths:
• Innovation: A robust, multi-asset R&D pipeline—20 new drugs slated for launch by 2030—positions AZN to pivot faster than competitors and dominate high-growth disease areas.
• Market Share: Sector leadership in oncology, with 24% growth in 2024, provides a recurring revenue base with high margins.
• Brand and Diversification: The firm’s strong brand, global reach, and resilience across cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, and rare diseases consolidate its moat and reduce systemic risk.
• Governance: Under Pascal Soriot’s steady leadership since 2012, management credibility is reinforced, further enhancing investor confidence.

Volume and Liquidity

With an average daily trading volume of ~6 million shares and broad institutional ownership, AstraZeneca enjoys strong liquidity and efficient price discovery. This high float supports dynamic valuation, reducing spread volatility and enabling both large-scale and retail investors to enter or exit positions seamlessly. Sustained volume at key technical levels evidences genuine market conviction and fosters an environment ripe for positive price action, particularly as new information—be it clinical or regulatory—enters the market.

Catalysts and Positive Outlook

A number of high-impact catalysts drive compelling medium- and long-term prospects:

• Product Pipeline: The company’s stated ambition to launch 20 new medicines across oncology, immunology, and rare diseases by 2030 is unprecedented in scale and quality.
• 2030 Growth Target: AstraZeneca’s “Ambition 2030”—targeting $80 billion in annual revenue—signals clarity, drive, and superior execution.
• Oncology Dominance: The company’s sustained leadership in oncology is reinforced through Imfinzi and next-generation bispecifics, broadening access and deepening market penetration.
• Innovations: Advances in immuno-oncology, gene therapies, and novel biologics maintain AZN at the vanguard of industry R&D.
• Successful Clinical Trials: Nine Phase III trial successes in 2024 alone, with well-timed readouts expected to catalyse further upward share price moves.
• ESG and Market Access: Initiatives such as US respiratory drug cost caps enhance reputation and regulatory goodwill, supporting access to new markets and payer adoption.
• Favourable Regulatory Environment: Ongoing approvals in major economies increase addressable patient populations.

Given these factors, the market’s bullish sentiment appears grounded in reality rather than mere speculation.

Investment Strategies

AstraZeneca presents entry points for various investor profiles:

• Short-Term: The current trading range near supported technical lows and just under the MA200 presents an attractive setup for traders seeking rebound potential or breakout momentum as clinical newsflow accelerates into Q3 and Q4 2025.
• Medium-Term: Investors can benefit from building positions ahead of major catalyst events—including pivotal trial readouts, regulatory approvals, and pipeline launches—anticipating both operational execution and technical breakout beyond resistance at $71.23 and towards the 30% upside target ($92 area).
• Long-Term: For those with a strategic time horizon, AZN’s growth targets, increasing dividend, robust innovation engine, and resilient business mix exemplify a stock with the potential to deliver compounding returns and steady income over multiple years. The 2030 vision and sector tailwinds further enhance its suitability as a core healthcare holding.

Is It the Right Time to Buy AstraZeneca?

Our comprehensive analysis highlights several compelling strengths:

• Sustained double-digit sales and profit growth, underpinned by a world-class R&D pipeline and market share leadership in lucrative segments.
• Robust technical structure, with momentum indicators and strong support lending themselves to tactical accumulation.
• High liquidity, resilient brand, and dynamic catalysts moving into the back half of 2025 and beyond.
• Ambitious but credible long-term growth plans—enabling operational leverage, margin expansion, and market confidence that supports the stock’s premium valuation.

In a world where defensive growth, innovation, and sector leadership are prized, AstraZeneca seems to represent an excellent opportunity for investors seeking both protection and outperformance. The stock’s fundamentals justify renewed interest at current levels, and with key catalyst events on the near horizon, AstraZeneca may well be entering a new bullish phase—one to watch closely as the healthcare mega-trend accelerates globally.

For those evaluating sector leaders with proven execution and future-facing ambition, AstraZeneca’s current positioning offers a rare blend of resilience and upside potential, making now an opportune moment to bring it firmly onto the investment radar.

How to buy AstraZeneca stock in Ireland?

Buying AstraZeneca shares online is both straightforward and secure when using a regulated broker. From your account, you can access AstraZeneca PLC either by purchasing the shares outright for long-term holding (spot buying), or by trading their price movements through more flexible contracts for difference (CFDs). Each method has its own advantages, costs, and risk level. To find the option that best suits your needs, a detailed broker comparison is available further down this page.

Spot Buying

A cash (spot) purchase of AstraZeneca shares means you become a direct owner of the stock. You can buy and hold the shares in your account, benefiting from any dividends and long-term capital appreciation. Most Irish-friendly brokers charge a fixed commission per trade—typically around $5–$10 (approx. €4.50–€9)—plus or minus small currency conversion fees if buying shares listed in US dollars.

Example: Spot Buying AstraZeneca Shares

Example: If AstraZeneca's share price is $70.87 USD, with $1,000 (approx. €920), you can purchase about 14 shares ($1,000 ÷ $70.87 = 14, accounting for a $5 brokerage fee).
✔️ Gain scenario: If AstraZeneca rises by 10%, your 14 shares are now worth $1,100.
Result: That’s a $100 gross gain, or +10% on your initial investment.

Trading via CFD

CFD (Contract for Difference) trading lets you speculate on AstraZeneca’s share price without owning the underlying stock. With CFDs, you can use leverage to amplify your exposure but must consider additional costs, such as the spread (the broker’s markup on buy/sell prices) and an overnight financing fee for leveraged positions held beyond a day.

Example: Trading AstraZeneca via CFD

Example: You invest $1,000 (approx. €920) on AstraZeneca CFDs with 5x leverage, giving you exposure to $5,000 worth of shares.
✔️ Gain scenario: If AstraZeneca’s price rises by 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: That’s a $400 gain on your $1,000 stake (excluding fees). Remember, losses are amplified too.

Final Advice

Before investing, always compare brokers’ fees, available features, and regulatory protection. The best approach for you depends on your risk appetite and investment goals: spot buying suits those seeking to build long-term wealth, while CFDs can offer more flexibility and leverage for active traders. Explore further with our detailed broker comparison to find your ideal option.

Our 7 tips for buying AstraZeneca stock

The latest news about AstraZeneca

The AstraZeneca share price has remained stable in the $70–$71 range over the past week on both LSE and NASDAQ. This solidifies investor confidence amid low volatility (beta 0.18), highlighting the stock’s defensive nature within the pharma sector—a particularly important attribute for institutional and retail investors in Ireland seeking low-risk, stable foreign exposure, as well as for those using international segments in diversified portfolios.

Recent technical analysis signals a strong buy, with 13 bullish indicators and only 6 showing bearish trends. Both the MACD (0.17) and short-term moving averages (MA5, MA20, MA50) confirm upward momentum, further supported by a neutral RSI (55.07). This technical backdrop suggests ongoing support for the current price level and attractive entry points, which may be useful for Irish investors looking for entry triggers or trades based on momentum and stability.

AstraZeneca has delivered outstanding full-year 2024 financial results, reporting revenue up 21% and net profit up 18% year-on-year, exceeding analyst revenue expectations by 1.4%. Along with a ten percent sales increase for Q1 2025, this profitability and strong top-line growth are particularly relevant for Irish market participants, given the company’s significant footprint in Ireland through research collaborations, local employment, and collaboration with Irish healthcare institutions, all of which support the firm’s regional reputation and reliability as a long-term partner.

The European Medicines Agency’s CHMP recommended Imfinzi (durvalumab) for approval in May 2025, bolstering AstraZeneca’s oncology leadership in Europe. As Imfinzi is positioned for broader access, Irish healthcare providers and patients stand to benefit, underpinning the company’s strategic value in Ireland’s public health landscape and strengthening local investor sentiment tied to successful regulatory outcomes in the EU.

Ahead of its 2030 strategic horizon, AstraZeneca remains committed to innovation, with plans to launch 20 new drugs by the end of the decade and a robust focus on immuno-oncology. These pipeline developments and the ambition to reach $80 billion in annual revenue drive optimistic sentiment, not only globally but also among Irish investors seeking exposure to leaders in pharmaceutical innovation, especially in areas aligned with prevailing healthcare trends and demand in Ireland.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.