​AstraZeneca beats second-quarter profit expectations, holds outlook

The drugmaker reported better-than-expected second-quarter earnings, driven by strong demand for cancer and rare disease therapies

​AstraZeneca topped second-quarter profit expectations and backed its 2026 forecasts on Monday on demand for its therapies, as the drugmaker sought to quell concerns over longer-term ‌growth prospects after a recent ​trial failure.

 

Although strong ​demand for cancer and rare disease therapies continues ​to drive growth for the pharmaceuticals giant amid pricing pressures, an unexpected trial failure this month has turned attention to its drug ​pipeline and whether its longer-term revenue target ‌could be under threat. 

 

The company's core earnings ​for the three months ended June 30 rose 18 per cent to $2.63 per share, while total revenue jumped 5 per cent ‌to $15.38 billion at ​constant-currency rates.

 

 

Analysts on ‌average were expecting profit of $2.48 per share on ‌sales of $15.39 billion, according to a company-compiled consensus.

 

AstraZeneca ​continues to expect 2026 core earnings per share to increase by a low ​double-digit percentage, with total revenues rising at a mid-to-high-single-digit rate. In 2025, ‌it had reported a sales and profit growth ‌of about 8 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively.