AstraZeneca reports robust third quarter with revenue surge and new US ambitions

AstraZeneca has recorded its highest quarterly revenue to date, achieving a ten per cent increase and surpassing analyst expectations. The FTSE 100 pharmaceutical group announced total third quarter revenue had reached $15.2 billion, ahead of forecasts of $14.8 billion, while maintaining its full year outlook.

Each of the company’s main therapy areas and geographical regions delivered growth over the first nine months of the year, with oncology leading the charge at sixteen per cent. Sir Pascal Soriot, the chief executive, confirmed the company remains on track for its ambitious 2030 sales target of $80 billion.

This strong performance was supported by an impressive run of sixteen positive phase three clinical trial results this year, including significant breakthroughs for Baxdrostat in hypertension and both Enhertu and Datroway in breast cancer. Since February, the group has also achieved thirty one new product approvals, further strengthening its extensive pipeline.

The chief financial officer, Aradhana Sarin, reassured investors regarding the potential cost impact of a recent agreement with the Trump administration aimed at reducing medicine prices for US patients. She stated that the company’s diverse portfolio and strong revenue base would enable it to absorb the transaction’s effects while maintaining margin outlook despite competitive pressures from generic drugs.

These steady financials and commitments to future profitability have sent AstraZeneca shares up by 3.1 per cent on the London Stock Exchange, moving closer to a £200 billion market capitalisation. The recent shareholder approval for a direct New York listing, which complements the company’s existing London presence, solidifies a pivot towards the United States, where investment and manufacturing are being ramped up aggressively.

AstraZeneca is investing $50 billion in US operations by 2030, signalling that the country is expected to generate over half of its revenue by the end of the decade. Construction recently began on a $4.5 billion manufacturing site in Virginia, part of this long term strategy. The company’s forward guidance for 2025 remains at high single digit revenue growth and low double digit growth in core earnings per share.

UBS analysts described the results as a straightforward and solid performance, emphasising AstraZeneca’s superior medium term growth and innovation compared to its peers. There were no material updates regarding Chinese regulatory investigations, with leadership clarifying that the case must follow due legal process.