AstraZeneca results: Q1 2026
AstraZeneca results: Q1 2026
Strong revenue growth and positive readouts from high-value NMEs reinforce confidence in 2030 ambition
CAMBRIDGE, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AstraZeneca:
Revenue and EPS summary
|
Q1 2026 |
% Change |
|
|
$m |
Actual |
CER1 |
- Product Sales |
14,386 |
12 |
7 |
- Alliance Revenue |
825 |
29 |
26 |
Product Revenue |
15,211 |
13 |
8 |
Collaboration Revenue |
77 |
4 |
- |
Total Revenue |
15,288 |
13 |
8 |
Reported EPS ($) |
1.99 |
6 |
8 |
Core2 EPS ($) |
2.58 |
4 |
5 |
Key performance elements for Q1 2026
(Growth numbers at constant exchange rates)
- Total Revenue up 8% to $15,288m, driven by double‑digit growth in Oncology and Rare Disease
- Core Operating profit increased 12%
- Core EPS growth of 5%, reflecting the favourable tax rate in the prior year period
- Core Tax rate of 21%. Expectations for full year Core Tax rate are unchanged at 18-22%
- Positive readouts for four high-value Phase III programmes since Q4 2025 results, including for two NMEs: tozorakimab and efzimfotase alfa
- 14 approvals in major regions since Q4 2025 results
Pascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer, AstraZeneca, said:
"We delivered strong growth in Q1 2026, with Total Revenue above $15 billion, demonstrating our consistent commercial execution. We are advancing through our catalyst‑rich period, with positive readouts for four high-value Phase III programmes since our last quarterly results, including first pivotal data for two key NMEs - tozorakimab in COPD and efzimfotase alfa in hypophosphatasia.
We continue to invest in our commercial capabilities as we prepare for multiple launches, look forward to further readouts anticipated this year, and remain on track to achieve our ambition for 2030 and beyond."
Guidance
AstraZeneca reconfirms Total Revenue and Core EPS guidance3 for FY 2026 at CER, based on the average foreign exchange rates through 2025.
Total Revenue is expected to increase by a mid-to-high single-digit percentage
Core EPS is expected to increase by a low double-digit percentage
The Core Tax rate is expected to be between 18-22%
If foreign exchange rates for April 2026 to December 2026 were to remain at the average rates seen in March 2026, it is anticipated that Total Revenue in FY 2026 would benefit from a low single-digit percentage positive impact (unchanged) compared to the performance at CER, and Core EPS growth would be broadly similar (unchanged) to the growth at CER.
Results highlights
Table 1: Milestones achieved since the prior results announcement
Phase III and other registrational data readouts
Medicine |
Trial |
Indication |
Event |
Imfinzi |
EMERALD-3 |
Locoregional HCC |
Primary endpoint met |
Imfinzi + Orpathys |
SAMETA |
MET+ advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma |
Primary endpoint not met |
tozorakimab |
OBERON |
COPD |
Primary endpoint met |
tozorakimab |
TITANIA |
COPD |
Primary endpoint met |
tozorakimab |
MIRANDA |
COPD |
Primary endpoint met |
tozorakimab |
PROSPERO |
COPD |
Primary endpoint not met |
Breztri |
ATHLOS |
COPD |
Primary endpoint met |
efzimfotase alfa |
MULBERRY |
HPP (paediatric, treatment-naïve) |
Primary endpoint met |
efzimfotase alfa |
CHESTNUT |
HPP (paediatric, switch from Strensiq) |
Primary endpoint met |
efzimfotase alfa |
HICKORY |
HPP (adults, adolescents, treatment-naïve) |
Primary endpoint not met |
Ultomiris |
I CAN |
IgAN |
Primary endpoint met |
Ultomiris |
ARTEMIS |
CSA-AKI |
Discontinued due to inconsistent efficacy |
Regulatory approvals
Medicine |
Trial |
Indication |
Region |
Calquence |
AMPLIFY |
1L CLL (fixed duration) |
US |
Enhertu |
DESTINY-Gastric04 |
2L HER2+ gastric/GEJ cancer |
JP |
Enhertu |
DESTINY-PanTumor02 |
HER2-positive solid tumours |
JP |
Enhertu |
DESTINY-Breast11 |
Neoadjuvant HER2+ Stage II or III breast cancer |
CN |
Imfinzi |
MATTERHORN |
Resectable gastric/GEJ cancer |
EU |
Imfinzi |
HIMALAYA |
1L HCC |
CN |
Imfinzi |
POSEIDON |
1L NSCLC |
CN |
Breztri |
KALOS / LOGOS |
Asthma |
US |
Saphnelo |
TULIP-SC |
SLE (subcutaneous) |
JP, US |
Tezspire |
WAYPOINT |
Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps |
JP, CN |
Tezspire |
DIRECTION |
Severe asthma |
CN |
Koselugo |
KOMET |
Adult NF1-PN |
CN |
Regulatory submissions or acceptances* in major regions
Medicine |
Trial |
Indication |
Region |
Calquence |
AMPLIFY |
1L CLL (fixed duration) |
JP |
Calquence |
ECHO |
1L MCL |
CN |
Enhertu |
DESTINY-Breast05 |
High-risk HER2+ early breast cancer (post-neoadjuvant) |
US, EU, JP, CN |
Enhertu |
DESTINY-PanTumor03 |
HER2-expressing solid tumours |
CN |
Datroway |
TROPION-Breast02 |
1L TNBC for patients where immunotherapy is not an option |
JP |
baxdrostat |
BaxHTN / Bax24 / BaxAsia |
Treatment resistant hypertension |
CN |
* US, EU and China regulatory entries in this table denote filing acceptance |
|||
Other pipeline updates
For recent trial starts and anticipated timings of key trial readouts, please refer to the Clinical Trials Appendix document in the financial results section of the AstraZeneca investor relations website: www.astrazeneca.com/investor-relations.html
Table 2: Key elements of financial performance: Q1 2026
For the quarter |
Reported |
Change |
Core |
Change |
|
||
ended 31 March |
$m |
Act |
CER |
$m |
Act |
CER |
|
Product Revenue |
15,211 |
13 |
8 |
15,211 |
13 |
8 |
* See Tables 3, 7, 25 and 26 for further details of Product Revenue, Product Sales and Alliance Revenue |
Collaboration Revenue |
77 |
4 |
- |
77 |
4 |
- |
* See Tables 4 and 27 for further details of Collaboration Revenue |
Total Revenue
|
15,288 |
13 |
8 |
15,288 |
13 |
8 |
* See Tables 5 and 6 for Total Revenue by Therapy Area and by region |
Gross Margin (%) |
82 |
-1pp |
+1pp |
83 |
-1pp |
+1pp |
* Variations in Gross Margin can be expected between periods due to various factors, including fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, product seasonality and Collaboration Revenue |
R&D expense |
3,492 |
11 |
7 |
3,461 |
12 |
8 |
* Core R&D: 23% of Total Revenue + Accelerated recruitment in ongoing trials + Investments in transformative technologies such as IO bispecifics, cell therapy and antibody drug conjugates + Addition of R&D projects from business development + Positive data readouts for high value pipeline opportunities that have ungated large late-stage trials |
SG&A expense |
4,920 |
10 |
6 |
3,859 |
12 |
7 |
* Core SG&A: 25% of Total Revenue + Investment to support ongoing and future launches |
Other operating income and expense4 |
189 |
67 |
65 |
189 |
65 |
63 |
+ Various partner milestones |
Operating profit |
4,246 |
16 |
17 |
5,352 |
11 |
12 |
|
Operating Margin (%) |
28 |
+1pp |
+2pp |
35 |
- |
+1pp |
|
Net finance expense |
320 |
20 |
16 |
281 |
30 |
26 |
+ Prior year Net finance expense benefitted from adjustments relating to settlements with tax authorities |
Tax rate (%) |
21 |
+7pp |
+7pp |
21 |
+5pp |
+5pp |
* Prior year benefitted from the release of tax liabilities following settlements with tax authorities * Variations in the tax rate can be expected between periods |
EPS ($) |
1.99 |
6 |
8 |
2.58 |
4 |
5 |
|
For dollar values in this table, the unit of change is percent. For Gross Margin, Operating Margin and Tax rate, the unit of change is percentage points (pp). |
|||||||
In the table above, R&D expense, SG&A expense and Net finance expense are displayed as positive numbers. The plus and minus symbols next to comments denote the directional impact of the item being discussed. For example, a plus symbol next to a comment about an R&D item indicates that the item increased R&D expenditure relative to the prior year period. |
|||||||
Corporate and business development
Jacobio Pharma
In March 2026, Jacobio Pharma announced that it had received an upfront payment of $100m from AstraZeneca. The payment was made in accordance with the collaboration and license agreement announced in December 2025 for JAB‑23E73, an investigational oral pan‑KRAS inhibitor.
Pinetree
In April 2026, AstraZeneca exercised its option to obtain an exclusive global license from Pinetree Therapeutics, Inc. (Pinetree) to develop and commercialize PTX-299, a first-in-class bispecific antibody degrader targeting EGFR. The option exercise triggers a $25m payment to Pinetree. Pinetree is also eligible to receive potential future development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties on global net sales if the product is successfully developed and commercialized. The total potential value of the agreement exceeds $500m.
CSPC
In April 2026, AstraZeneca closed the previously announced new strategic collaboration agreement with CSPC Pharmaceuticals to advance the development of multiple next-generation therapies for obesity and type 2 diabetes. AstraZeneca will pay an upfront payment of $1.2bn. See Note 5 for further details.
Sustainability highlights
The Company released its third Sustainability Impact Publication which includes its Sustainability achievements to date, updated 2030 Sustainability targets and case studies from across the enterprise on climate and nature action, health equity and health systems resilience.
Reporting calendar
The Company intends to publish its H1 and Q2 2026 results on 27 July 2026.
Conference call
A conference call and webcast for investors and analysts will begin today, 29 April 2026, at 14:30 UK time. Details can be accessed via astrazeneca.com.
Reporting changes since FY 2025
The therapy area formerly referred to as ‘Vaccines and Immune Therapies’ is now titled ‘Infectious Disease’.
The updated title aligns with the naming convention of AstraZeneca’s other therapy areas, which are named after the scientific fields in which they operate
Notes
- Constant exchange rates. The differences between Actual Change and CER Change are due to foreign exchange movements between periods in 2026 vs. 2025. CER financial measures are not accounted for according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) because they remove the effects of currency movements from Reported results.
- Core financial measures are adjusted to exclude certain items. The differences between Reported and Core measures are primarily due to costs relating to the amortisation of intangibles, impairments, legal settlements and restructuring charges. A full reconciliation between Reported EPS and Core EPS is provided in Table 10 in the Financial Performance section of this document.
- The Company is unable to provide guidance on a Reported basis because it cannot reliably forecast material elements of the Reported results, including any fair value adjustments arising on acquisition-related liabilities, intangible asset impairment charges and legal settlement provisions. Please refer to the Cautionary statements section regarding forward-looking statements at the end of this announcement.
- Income from disposals of assets and businesses, where the Group does not retain a significant ongoing economic interest, is recorded in Other operating income and expense in the Group’s financial statements.
To read AstraZeneca's Q1 2026 Financial Results press release in full, click here.
Contacts
Global Media Relations team
global-mediateam@astrazeneca.com
+44 (0)1223 344 800
