Why AstraZeneca Stock Topped the Market on Thursday

Veteran pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (NASDAQ: AZN) delivered for investors on the second-to-last trading day of the week. Its shares rose by more than 3% across that trading session, thanks mostly to an earnings report that featured a pair of convincing beats. The stock's rise came on a generally gloomy day for the market, as the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) slumped by 1.1%.

Healthy increases

AstraZeneca posted its third-quarter and nine-month figures well before market open that day. These revealed that the company earned nearly $15.2 billion during the former period, a solid 12% higher than in the same quarter of 2024. The company said it saw sales growth in all therapeutic areas, particularly oncology (up 16% year over year) and respiratory and immunology (up 13%).

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On the bottom line, AstraZeneca's operating profit not according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) rose by 16% to just under $5 billion, or $2.38 per share.

With that performance, AstraZeneca beat the average analyst estimates -- particularly that for non-GAAP (adjusted) profitability. Pundits tracking the company were expecting only $1.22 per share for the metric. Revenue also was a consensus beater, as the collective prognosticator expectation was for under $14.8 billion.

More growth on the way?

AstraZeneca also reaffirmed its existing guidance for full-year 2025. At constant exchange rates, revenue is anticipated to rise at a high-single-digit percentage rate over the 2024 tally.

Adjusted earnings per share should rise at a low double-digit rate. The company did not get more specific.

Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends AstraZeneca Plc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.