AstraZeneca Shares Rise on DB Upgrade and CEO Buy
Deutsche Bank upgrades AstraZeneca to hold with a 11,700p target, while CEO Soriot buys 60,000 shares at $161.57.
Key points
- Deutsche Bank upgraded AstraZeneca to hold and raised its price target to 11,700 pence on September 15, 2026.
- CEO Pascal Soriot bought 60,000 shares at USD 161.57 each, increasing his total holding to 430,428 shares.
- AstraZeneca closed at 12,500.0 pence on September 18, 2026, remaining below its 52-week high of GBP 157.32.
AstraZeneca PLC shares closed at 12,500.0 pence on the London Stock Exchange on September 18, 2026, extending recent gains. The move followed a Deutsche Bank rating upgrade and a significant personal share purchase by the company’s chief executive.
Deutsche Bank raised its price target to 11,700 pence, placing the stock above the bank's valuation despite the upgrade. CEO Pascal Soriot simultaneously acquired 60,000 shares, signaling insider confidence in the firm’s medium-term outlook.
Deutsche Bank revises valuation metrics
Deutsche Bank upgraded AstraZeneca from sell to hold on September 15, 2026, according to reports cited by ad-hoc-news.de. The bank increased its price target by 200 pence to 11,700 pence, reflecting a recalculated risk-reward profile after the stock underperformed European peers.
The new target sits approximately 6.4 percent below the September 18 closing price of 12,500.0 pence. This suggests the market has already priced in much of the positive sentiment associated with the bank’s revised stance.
CEO Soriot increases personal stake
Pascal Soriot purchased 60,000 AstraZeneca shares on September 14, 2026, at an average price of USD 161.57 per share. The transaction totaled roughly USD 9.69 million, as disclosed via Sina Finance and Moomoo.
Following the buy, Soriot’s total holding rose to 430,428 shares, representing about 0.03 percent of the company’s outstanding capital. This insider activity aligns with the broader positive shift in analyst sentiment.
Share price remains below yearly peak
AstraZeneca traded with a 0.58 percent gain on September 18, with a volume of 6.52 million shares. The closing price of 12,500.0 pence remains below the 52-week high of GBP 157.32, indicating further room for appreciation before retesting the yearly peak.
US-listed ADRs traded near USD 166.08, slightly above Soriot’s purchase price. The stock’s position in the blue-chip healthcare segment remains stable, with global visibility supported by consistent trading volumes on the London exchange.
