Illumina (ILMN) introduced the world's largest genome-wide genetic perturbation dataset, being built to accelerate drug discovery through AI across the pharmaceutical ecosystem. The Illumina Billion Cell Atlas is the first tranche of its program to build a 5 billion cell atlas over three years, and will be the most comprehensive map of human disease biology to date. Under an alliance framework with AstraZeneca (AZN), Merck (MRK), and Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) leading as founding participants, the Atlas is already in build for a curated set of cell lines to drive drug target validation, train advanced AI models at scale, and advance research into fundamental disease mechanisms that have previously been out of reach. Merck will leverage the Atlas to accelerate precision medicine approaches across their drug discovery pipelines. The data will help train the company's proprietary AI/ML foundation models and build virtual cell models, with the aim of improving prediction of disease indications.
Wall Street analysts forecast AZN stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AZN is 102.75 USD with a low forecast of 95.00 USD and a high forecast of 108.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Analyst Rating
Wall Street analysts forecast AZN stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AZN is 102.75 USD with a low forecast of 95.00 USD and a high forecast of 108.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
5 Buy
0 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 93.990
Low
95.00
Averages
102.75
High
108.00
Current: 93.990
Low
95.00
Averages
102.75
High
108.00
Deutsche Bank
Emmanuel Papadakis
Sell
maintain
Al Analysis
2026-01-16
New
Reason
Deutsche Bank
Emmanuel Papadakis
Price Target
Al Analysis
2026-01-16
New
maintain
Sell
Reason
Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis raised the firm's price target on AstraZeneca to 11,000 GBp from 10,500 GBp and keeps a Sell rating on the shares.
Barclays
James Gordon
NULL -> Overweight
upgrade
2026-01-06
Reason
Barclays
James Gordon
Price Target
2026-01-06
upgrade
NULL -> Overweight
Reason
Barclays analyst James Gordon raised the firm's price target on AstraZeneca to 16,500 GBp from 14,000 GBp and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares.
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Goldman Sachs
downgrade
2026-01-05
Reason
Goldman Sachs
Price Target
2026-01-05
downgrade
Reason
Goldman Sachs analysts removed AstraZeneca from the firm's European Conviction List as part of its monthly update.
HSBC
Buy
upgrade
$95 -> $108
2025-12-10
Reason
HSBC
Price Target
$95 -> $108
2025-12-10
upgrade
Buy
Reason
HSBC raised the firm's price target on AstraZeneca to $108 from $95 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares as part of a 2026 outlook for the pharma group. The firm believes the sector is well positioned to outperform in 2026, "even more so if AI panic kicks in." HSBC's preferred stocks are "growth bucket ideas," but says "fallen angels and value could work as well."
About AZN
AstraZeneca PLC is a United Kingdom-based science-led biopharmaceutical company. The Company focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines. The Company operates across therapy areas, including Oncology; Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM); Respiratory and Immunology (R&I); Vaccines and Immune Therapies (V&I), and Rare Disease. In the Oncology area, its key products include Tagrisso, Imfinzi, Calquence, Lynparza, and Enhertu. The key products of CVRM area include Farxiga/Forxiga, Brilinta/Brilique, Crestor, and Lokelma. In the R&I area, the key products are Symbicort, Fasenra, Breztri/Trixeo, and Tezspire. In the V&I Therapies area, the products are Beyfortus and FluMist. The products in the Rare Disease area are Ultomiris, Soliris, Strensiq, and Koselugo. It has about 191 projects in its development pipeline, including 19 new molecular entities (NMEs) in the late-stage pipeline. The Company distributes its products in over 125 countries.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
