Key facts
- AstraZeneca's net profit for the second quarter rose over 2% to $2.51 billion.
- Total revenue increased 5% at constant exchange rates to $15.38 billion.
- Core earnings per share of $2.63 beat analyst forecasts of $2.48.
- The company maintained its full-year 2026 outlook.
- AstraZeneca's shares were up 1.4% in early European trading.
AstraZeneca's second-quarter net profit rose more than 2% to $2.51 billion, driven by strong sales of its cancer medicines, the company announced on Monday. Total revenue increased 5% at constant exchange rates to $15.38 billion for the three months ending June 30. The company's core earnings per share of $2.63, up 18% at constant exchange rates, surpassed analysts' forecast of $2.48. Reflecting the positive results, AstraZeneca reaffirmed its full-year outlook and saw its shares climb 1.4% in early European trading. Chief executive Pascal Soriot expressed confidence in the company's pipeline and its ambition to reach $80 billion in total revenue by 2030, despite a recent late-stage trial failure. AstraZeneca is also investing in obesity treatments, with its experimental pill elecoglipron showing significant weight loss in trials, potentially positioning the company to enter the lucrative weight-loss drug market.