HSBC cuts AstraZeneca to hold and lowers target price to £137.50 after late-stage trial failure
HSBC downgraded AstraZeneca from buy to hold and cut its price target by over 16% after a late-stage heart-disease trial failure triggered a sharp selloff. The note highlights potential erosion of investor confidence in AstraZeneca's R&D "engine", a key pillar supporting premium valuation multiples. The development raises the risk of near-term rerating pressure across European large-cap pharma, with spillover into defensives sentiment.
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▼ Bearish
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HSBC downgraded AstraZeneca (AZN.L) to hold from buy and cut its target price to £137.50 from £165, a reduction of more than 16%. The move follows the failure of a Phase III trial for a heart disease drug, which sent the shares down as much as 9% in a single session and left them down 12% for the week. Analysts said the stock’s premium valuation has long rested on confidence in its late-stage pipeline, and that consecutive R&D setbacks could trigger a reassessment.