US LNG exports surge but will buyers in China turn up?
AstraZeneca PLC (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: LON:AZN), a global pharmaceutical giant with a market capitalization of $240 billion and annual revenue exceeding $54 billion, disclosed on Thursday that top executives have acquired shares following the vesting of a deferred bonus plan. The transactions took place outside a trading venue on March 4 and 5, 2025, as per the company’s recent SEC filing. InvestingPro analysis shows the company maintains a "GREAT" financial health score of 3.4 out of 5.
The pharmaceutical giant reported that Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot and Chief Financial Officer Aradhana Sarin received shares as part of the AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) Deferred Bonus Plan (AZDBP). The plan, which originated on March 4, 2022, involved the deferral of a portion of the executives’ annual bonuses from 2021 into Ordinary Shares. After a three-year holding period, these shares vested. According to InvestingPro, AstraZeneca has maintained dividend payments for 33 consecutive years, demonstrating strong financial stability. Subscribers can access 8 additional ProTips about AZN’s financial performance.
Soriot acquired a total of 17,605 shares while Sarin received 2,049 shares. These figures include shares obtained through the reinvestment of dividends accrued during the deferral period. The fair market value of an Ordinary Share at the vesting of the AZDBP award was recorded at 11,904 pence, based on the closing price on the last trading day before the vesting.
The filing also noted that some shares were withheld to satisfy tax obligations that arose upon the vesting of the shares. The detailed transactions are in compliance with the EU Market Abuse Regulation as it is part of UK law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.
AstraZeneca, headquartered in Cambridge, UK, is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its products span various therapeutic areas, including Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals. The company’s medicines are distributed in over 125 countries, impacting the lives of numerous patients worldwide. With a year-to-date return of 20.65% and analyst consensus pointing to further upside potential, AstraZeneca continues to demonstrate strong market performance. For detailed analysis and comprehensive insights, investors can access the full Pro Research Report available on InvestingPro, covering what really matters about this prominent pharmaceutical player.
This information is based on a press release statement.
In other recent news, AstraZeneca has reported positive financial and operational developments. The company announced significant advancements in breast cancer treatment, with its drug Enhertu receiving a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency. This recommendation supports the use of Enhertu as a monotherapy for certain breast cancer patients in the European Union, following promising results from the DESTINY-Breast06 Phase III trial. In another development, AstraZeneca’s investigational drug camizestrant demonstrated significant improvement in progression-free survival in patients with advanced breast cancer during the SERENA-6 Phase III trial.
Additionally, AstraZeneca disclosed its total number of voting rights as of the end of February, confirming an issued share capital of 1,550,607,175 ordinary shares. The company also granted share awards to top executives under its annual bonus and long-term incentive plans, aligning their interests with long-term company success. These awards, part of the AstraZeneca Deferred Bonus Plan and the AstraZeneca Performance Share Plan, are contingent on meeting specific performance metrics. These recent developments underline AstraZeneca’s ongoing efforts in pharmaceutical innovation and corporate governance transparency.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.