AstraZeneca is a UK-based multi-national pharmaceutical company. The firm was founded in 1999 as a result of a merger between Zeneca Group and Astra AB of Sweden. As of mid-2020, AstraZeneca has a total market capitalization of just over £115 billion and the AstraZeneca Stock is going from strength to strength. In this article. we show you how to buy AstraZeneca stock in the fastest, safest, and most convenient way. Table of ContentsContents [show] How to Buy AstraZeneca Stock in 3 Quick Steps Don’t have time to read our guide in full? Below you’ll see three quick steps that you need to follow to buy AstraZeneca stock right now. Step 1: Join an Online BrokerYou'll want to choose a broker that gives you access to shares listed on the LSE.Step 2: Deposit FundsDeposit funds in a matter of seconds. Choose from a debit/credit card, e-wallet, or bank wire.Step 3: Buy AstraZeneca stocksSearch for 'AZN', enter the number of shares that you wish to buy, and confirm the order. Buy AstraZeneca Stock Where to Buy AstraZeneca Stock? Listed on the London Stock Exchange and forming part of the FTSE100 index, AstraZeneca shares can be purchased from dozens of online stock brokers. With this in mind, you need to find a platform that meets your needs. To help you along the way, below you will find our two top-rated UK stock trading sites of 2020. Both platforms are FCA regulated, and allow you to buy AstraZeneca shares with a debit/credit card, e-wallet, or UK bank account. 1. eToro – Best Stock Broker for Worldwide Customers eToro is not only the most user-friendly platform to buy AstraZeneca stock, but it's also the cheapest. For this reason, the online broker is now home to more than 12 million traders. Through a stock collection that exceeds 800 companies across several markets, eToro allows you to buy shares without paying any trading commissions. This is also the case for cryptocurrencies and ETFs. The only trading charge that you need to take into account is the spread, which is typically competitive during standard market hours. eToro makes the buying process super easy, as it takes just minutes to open an account. You'll need to meet a $200 minimum deposit, which is about £160. You can do this via a debit or credit card, e-wallet, or UK bank account. Once the deposit is processed, the funds will be converted into US dollars (0.5% conversion fee). This ensures that you have access to all of the financial instruments hosted at the site without needing to worry about ongoing currency exchange rates. What we also like about eToro is that you can copy the trades of experienced investors. This is great if you want to gain exposure to the UK and international stock markets, but you don't know which companies to back. Best of all, the copy trading feature does not come with any additional fees. In terms of reputation, eToro is licensed on three fronts. On top of a fully-fledged FCA license, the platform is also regulated in Cyprus (CySEC) and Australia (ASIC). Finally, eToro is a notable option if you plan to buy and sell stocks on the move. You can do this via the broker's mobile trading app - which is available on both Android and iOS devices. Our Rating Catered to newbie traders 0% commission on ETFs and stocks Supports heaps of everyday payment methods Minimum withdrawal of $50 High spreads MT4/5 not available Visit eToro Now 75% of investors lose money when trading CFDs 2. Plus500 – CFD Broker to Trade AstraZeneca Stock While eToro is the best UK broker to buy AstraZeneca shares if you plan to hold on a long-term basis, Plus500 worth considering if you want to day trade stocks. This is because the broker hosts more than 2,000 companies all in the form of CFDs. Not only does this include UK stocks like AstraZeneca, but heaps of international markets. By opting for the stock CFD route, you will be able to buy and sell shares on a commission-free basis. Much like eToro, it's only the spread that you pay. Plus500 also permits leverage of up to 5:1 when trading publicly-listed stocks. This means that a £200 deposit would allow a maximum trade size of £1,000. We should also note that Plus500 allows you to short-sell companies. This means that you can profit if you think the price of AstraZeneca shares is likely to go down. In terms of getting started, Plus500 requires a minimum deposit of £100. There are no fees to deposit or withdraw funds at the platform, and you can use a debit/credit card, bank account, or Paypal. Plus500 also offers a top-rated mobile trading app, which is ideal if you want t buy and sell stocks on the move. Finally, Plus500 has an excellent reputation in the UK brokerage space. Not only is it listed on the London Stock Exchange, but it holds multiple regulatory licenses. This includes the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, and MAS. Our Rating Fast order execution No commissions Tight spreads Stocks only available via CFDs Its educational resources are sparse Visit Plus500 Now 80.5%% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs How to Buy AstraZeneca Stock from eToro So now that you know which UK brokers are best for buying and trading AstraZeneca stock, we are now going to show you how to get started with an investment today. As most of our readers prefer to buy and hold stocks on a long-term basis, we are going to show you the process with our top-rated share dealing site eToro. With that said, the process remains largely the same regardless of which broker you use, so feel free to opt for a platform of your choosing! Note: You will first need to open an account with your chosen broker. Once you’ve provided some personal information and uploaded a copy of your passport or driver’s license, you will then need to deposit some funds. Step 1: Search for AstraZeneca (AZN) Stock Once you have a funded account at eToro, enter ‘ANZ’ into the search box at the top of the screen, and click on the result that pops up. Step 2: Click on ‘Trade’ Next, click on the ‘Trade’ button. Step 3: Set-Up Order and Buy AstraZeneca Stock You should now see an order box pop up on your screen. This is where you need to provide details on the specific trade that you wish to place. If you have never done this before, we would suggest following the explainer points listed below. Buy Order: Firstly, make sure that the order is set as a ‘buy order’. This simply means that you are buying AstraZeneca stocks because you think the price will increase. Amount: This is where you need to enter the amount that you wish to invest. As eToro denominates everything in US dollars, enter the size of your investment in USD. Take note, you will need to invest at least $25, and there is no requirement to buy whole shares. Set Rate: eToro gives you the option of setting up a ‘market order’ or a ‘limit order’. If you want to take the next available stock price, leave this set as a ‘market order’. If you want to enter the market at a specific stock price, change this to a ‘limit order’. Stop Loss: If you are looking to buy and hold on a long-term basis, you likely won’t need to set-up a stop-loss order. But, if you are looking to scalp short-term profits, it’s best to mitigate your losses. Take Profit: This allows you to lock in your profits if and when a specific stock price is hit. Finally, click on ‘Buy’ to complete your AstraZeneca stock order. Why Invest in AstraZeneca? AstraZeneca stock has performed extremely well in the financial markets since the 1999 merger of Zeneca Group and Astra AB. At the time of writing this article in May 2020, the company is at high-time highs. Will the stock continue its upward trajectory? Below we have listed some of the many reasons that analysts believe it will. Coronavirus has made Pharma Companies a Buy Make no mistake about it, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global financial markets could be catastrophic. Whether it’s airlines, hospitality, real estate, construction, or retail, heaps of industries likely have tough times ahead of them. With that said, the pandemic will potentially have the opposite effect on large-scale pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca. At the forefront of this is the firm’s research and development of COVID-19 related treatments. CEO Pascal Soriot recently told the BBC that the company is aiming for a Coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2020. While there is no guarantee that AstraZeneca will realize this ambitious objective, the key point is that there is no reason to believe that the wider pharma space will be economically impacted by the pandemic. If anything, it’s possible that the opposite will happen. 37% Stock Price Growth and in All-Time High Territory AstraZeneca stocks have been on fire for some time now. As of May 2020, the company’s shares are up 37% from the prior 12 months. When you factor in the wider economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this once again highlights that pharma stocks are highly sought-after in troubling times. The Dow Jones index, for example, has dropped 17% in the same period. Even more pertinently, Astazenan stocks are currently in all-time high territory. This highlights that investor sentiment is extremely bullish on the firm. Huge Portfolio of Approved Treatments AstraZeneca was able to obtain regulatory approval on over 23 treatments in 2018. This includes everything from kidney and cardiovascular disorders to cancer. The company is also at the final stages of several other new products that it expects to gain approval for within the next 1-2 years. This is one of the key reasons that the company has forecast double-digit growth in 2021. About AstraZeneca Stock Company and Stock history AstraZeneca as a PLC was officially launched in 1999 on the back of a large-scale merger between the UK’s Zeneca Group and Astra AB of Sweden. The firm’s key revenue stream centres on the research, development, and distribution of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products. This includes a range of health care segments, including but not limited to diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, aesthetic, and infectious diseases. AstraZeneca is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol AZN, and it is one of the largest constituents of the FTSE 100 index. As of May 2020, the firm has a total market capitalization of £115 billion. Its operations span several continents, which includes a workforce in excess of 61,000 employees. In terms of the company’s stock price, AstraZeneca shares were priced at 2,721p in 1999. Fast forward to May 2020 and they are at an all-time high 9,056p. This represents a very juicy increase of just over 200% which once again highlights that AstraZeneca has been a strong long-term hold for investors. To complement this, AstraZeneca has a long-standing history of paying healthy dividends. This was exceeding a yield of 4% in 2018, although since then this has been reduced to the 2%-3.5% range. Should I Buy AstraZeneca Stock? At current prices, AstraZeneca is trading at just over 5 times its forecast sales for 2020. Although some would argue that this is somewhat expensive, investors seem content to pay a premium for the stock. This bullish sentiment has been reflected in the company’s share price, with AstraZeneca seeing year-on-year gains of 37% in 2020. This is on top of a dividend yield of between 2% and 3.5%, so income seekers have also been catered for. There is much excitement about the firm moving into the next couple of years. Not only is AstraZeneca confident in its development of a COVID-19 vaccine, but it has also received heaps of regulatory approvals in other health segments. This is why the company is projecting growth of well over 13% in 2021. All in all, pharma companies are often sought after in times of economic uncertainties, which some argue will only push AstraZeneca to new heights. As such, if you do want to invest in the company in the easiest, safest, and most cost-effective way, we would suggest opting for our top-rated trading platform eToro. The platform not only allows you to buy and hold AstraZeneca stock on a commission-free basis, but you can quickly make the purchase via a debit/credit card or e-wallet. Best UK Trading Platform 2021 Trade Crypto, Forex, CFDs and More FCA Regulated Only £200 Minimum Deposit Accepts Paypal Trade Now! 75% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. FAQ What all-time high share price does AstraZeneca stocks have? At the time of writing in May 2020 - AstraZeneca is currently at an all-time high stock price of 9,056p. This represents a market capitalization of £115 billion. Which companies does AstraZeneca own AstraZeneca has a huge portfolio of subsidiaries within the group. This includes the likes of MedImmune, Pearl Therapeutics, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, and KuDOD Pharmaceuticals. With such a significant amount of cash reserves at its fingertips, it's likely that we will see many more acquisitions in the coming years. Does AstraZeneca pay dividends? Yes, AstraZeneca has a long-standing track record of paying dividends - which it distributes twice per year. This has averaged a yield of between 2% and 3.% over the past couple of years. What is the minimum amount I can invest in AstraZeneca stock? AstraZeneca has once of the most expensive stock prices on the FTSE 100 - with a current all-time high pricing the shares at 9,056p (£9.05). Although historically brokers would require a minimum investment of 100 shares, this is no longer the case. In fact, platforms like eToro allow you to invest just $25 (£20) into AstraZeneca, and there is no requirement to buy while shares. What stock exchange is AstraZeneca listed on? AstraZeneca is listed on the London Stock Exchange. It is also one of the largest companies that form part of the FTSE 100 index How much does AstraZeneca make in revenue? AstraZeneca reported global revenues of jsut over $24.3 billion in the 2019 financial year. This was up from $22 billion in the prior year. What is the most popular product that AstraZeneca sells? 'If by 'popular' you mean its best selling product, then this was Tagrisso in 2019. The medication is used to help treat non-small-cell lung carcinomas, and it generated just over $3 billion in revenues last year. Can I short AstraZeneca stock? By shorting AstraZeneca stocks you would be going against market sentiment! Nevertheless, if you do think that AstraZeneca shares are heavily overpriced, you can short them online with ease. Both eToro and Plus500 allow you to do this via CFDs. When was AstraZeneca founded?
