AstraZeneca reported a 23% rise in third-quarter profit and announced a three-year savings plan, while oncology accounted for 48% of revenue and the company said savings would support its drug pipeline.
Profit for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2026, was $3.116 billion, compared with $2.535 billion in the third quarter of 2025. Total revenue increased 7% to $16.209 billion.
Reported earnings per share rose 23% to $2.02. Core earnings per share increased 17% to $2.79; that measure excludes items such as intangible-asset amortization, impairments, legal settlements and restructuring charges.
Oncology revenue reached $7.765 billion, up 17% from a year earlier. Tagrisso revenue increased 12% to $2.087 billion, and Imfinzi revenue rose 24% to $1.990 billion. Farxiga sales fell 25% to $1.605 billion, while Brilinta sales declined 48% to $75 million. AstraZeneca cited loss of exclusivity for Farxiga and Brilinta and volume-based procurement in China among the factors weighing on revenue.
The Reshaping for Sustainable Growth programme will redeploy resources across the company’s businesses and therapy areas over three years. AstraZeneca expects the initiative to produce $1.5 billion in annualized pre-tax run-rate benefits and involve up to $2 billion in one-time restructuring costs. The work is expected to be essentially complete by the end of 2029.
AstraZeneca said it intends to reinvest the savings principally in its pipeline and transformative technologies. The company reported more than 180 pipeline projects and 12 positive Phase III program readouts so far in 2026. It did not disclose a headcount target or a detailed list of savings measures.
Reuters reported that third-quarter sales and profit exceeded analyst forecasts. AstraZeneca reconfirmed its 2026 outlook, which calls for revenue growth in the mid-to-high single digits and core earnings-per-share growth in the low double digits at constant exchange rates. The company plans to publish its full-year and fourth-quarter results on Feb. 9, 2027.
