AstraZeneca shares rise as pharma group unveils 2030 revenue target

Investing.com -- U.K.-listed shares in AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) rose in morning trading on Tuesday after the pharmaceutical giant announced a new target for revenue by 2030.

In a statement ahead of an investor event touting a fresh "era of growth," AstraZeneca said it now expects to post $80 billion in total revenue by the beginning of the next decade. In 2023, the company reported sales of $45.8 billion.

The firm said it plans to reach this goal through "significant" expansion in its existing oncology, biopharmaceuticals and rare diseases portfolio, and by launching 20 expected new medicines before the end of the current decade.

"The breadth of our portfolio together with continued investment in innovation supports sustained growth well past the end of the decade,” said Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot in a statement.

AstraZeneca is also aiming to deliver adjusted operating margin in the mid-30s percentage range beyond 2026, citing a strategic commitment to research and development as well as a focus on productivity. Analysts at Bernstein said they assume that the outlook equates to a core earnings before interest and tax margin range of 35% to 37% by 2030.

The analysts noted that Bloomberg consensus estimates were projecting 2030 total revenues and core income of $67 billion and 40% margin, respectively.

"Considering [AstraZeneca]’s excellent track record since 2017, we believe that the 2030 sales guidance will be well-received by the investment community," the Bernstein analysts said.

"However, considering that the 2030 consensus margin forecast of 40% is well above the ‘mid-30’s range which [AstraZeneca] is now targeting post 2026, we suspect that there will be significant debate today about the potential trade-off’s between growth and profitability."