UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. 2)*
AstraZeneca plc
(Name of Issuer)
American Depositary Shares, representing Ordinary Shares
(Title of Class of Securities)
046353108
(CUSIP Number)
December 31, 2004
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this
Schedule is filed:
[X] Rule 13d-1(b)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of
the Act (however, see the Notes).
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 1 of 8
1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Capital Group International, Inc.
95-4154357
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE
INSTRUCTIONS) (a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
California
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
121,396,050
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES NONE
BENEFICIALL
Y OWNED BY
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
REPORTING 152,634,710
PERSON
WITH:
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
NONE
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
152,634,710 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-
4
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
9.3%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
HC
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 2 of 8
1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)
Capital Guardian Trust Company
95-2553868
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE
INSTRUCTIONS) (a)
(b)
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
California
5 SOLE VOTING POWER
67,711,260
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES NONE
BENEFICIALL
Y OWNED BY
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
REPORTING 87,487,580
PERSON
WITH:
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
NONE
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
87,487,580 Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
(SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
5.3%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
IA BK
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 3 of 8
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
Schedule 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Amendment No. 2
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
AstraZeneca plc
Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
15 Stanhope Gate
London W1K 1LN
England
Item 2(a) Name of Person(s) Filing:
Capital Group International, Inc. and Capital Guardian Trust
Company
Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none,
Residence:
11100 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Item 2(c) Citizenship: N/A
Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
American Depositary Shares, representing Ordinary Shares
Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
046353108
Item 3 If this statement is filed pursuant to sections 240.13d-1(b)
or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:
(b) [X] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78c).
(e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with
section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E).
(g) [X] A parent holding company or control person in
accordance with section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).
Item 4 Ownership
Provide the following information regarding the aggregate
number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer
identified in Item 1.
See pages 2 and 3
(a) Amount beneficially owned:
(b) Percent of class:
(c) Number of shares as to which the person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 4 of 8
Capital Group International, Inc. ("CGII") is the parent
holding company of a group of investment management companies
that hold investment power and, in some cases, voting power
over the securities reported in this Schedule 13G. The
investment management companies, which include a "bank" as
defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (the "Act") and several investment advisers registered
under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
provide investment advisory and management services for their
respective clients which include registered investment
companies and institutional accounts. CGII does not have
investment power or voting power over any of the securities
reported herein. However, by virtue of Rule 13d-3 under the
Act, CGII may be deemed to "beneficially own" 152,634,710
shares or 9.3% of the 1,646,149,596 shares of Ordinary Shares,
including American Depositary Shares, believed to be
outstanding.
Capital Guardian Trust Company, a bank as defined in Section
3(a)(6) of the Act is deemed to be the beneficial owner of
87,487,580 shares or 5.3% of the 1,646,149,596 shares of
American Depositary Shares, representing Ordinary Shares
believed to be outstanding as a result of its serving as the
investment manager of various institutional accounts.
Shares reported by Capital Group International, Inc., include
43,726,270 American Depositary Shares, representing 43,726,270
shares of the Ordinary Shares.
Item 5 Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. If this
statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial
owner of more than five percent of the class of securities,
check the following: [ ]
Item 6 Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person: N/A
Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company or Control Person.
1. Capital Guardian Trust Company is a bank as defined in
Section 3(a)(6) of the Act and an investment adviser
registered under Section 203 of the Investment Adviser Act of
1940, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group
International, Inc.
2. Capital International Limited (CIL) does not fall within any
of the categories described in Rule 13d-1(b)(ii)(A-F) but its
holdings of any reported securities come within the five
percent limitation as set forth in a December 15, 1986 no-
action letter from the Staff of the Securities and Exchange
Commission to The Capital Group Companies, Inc. CIL is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group International, Inc.
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 5 of 8
3. Capital International Research and Management, Inc. dba
Capital International, Inc. is an investment adviser
registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group
International, Inc.
4. Capital International S.A. (CISA) does not fall within any of
the categories described in Rule 13d-1(b)(ii)(A-F) but its
holdings of any reported securities come within the five
percent limitation as set forth in a December 15, 1986 no-
action letter from the Staff of the Securities and Exchange
Commission to The Capital Group Companies, Inc. CISA is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Group International, Inc.
Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
N/A
Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group: N/A
Item 10 Certification
By signing below, I certify that, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and
are held in the ordinary course of business and were not
acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect
of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the
securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose
or effect.
Signature
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.
Date: February 11, 2005
Signature: *David I. Fisher
Name/Title: David I. Fisher, Chairman
Capital Group International, Inc.
Date: February 11, 2005
Signature: *David I. Fisher
Name/Title: David I. Fisher, Chairman
Capital Guardian Trust Company
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 6 of 8
*By /s/ Kenneth R. Gorvetzian
Kenneth R. Gorvetzian
Attorney-in-fact
Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 30,
2003 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital Group
International, Inc. on February 10, 2003 with respect to
Acclaim Entertainment Inc.
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 7 of 8
AGREEMENT
Los Angeles, CA
February 11, 2005
Capital Group International, Inc. ("CGII") and Capital Guardian
Trust Company ("CGTC") hereby agree to file a joint statement on
Schedule 13G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act") in
connection with their beneficial ownership of American Depositary
Shares, representing Ordinary Shares issued by AstraZeneca plc.
CGII and CGTC state that they are each entitled to individually use
Schedule 13G pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c) of the Act.
CGII and CGTC are each responsible for the timely filing of the
statement and any amendments thereto, and for the completeness and
accuracy of the information concerning each of them contained therein
but are not responsible for the completeness or accuracy of the
information concerning the others.
CAPITAL GROUP INTERNATIONAL, INC.
BY: *David I. Fisher
David I. Fisher, Chairman
Capital Group International,
Inc.
CAPITAL GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY
BY: *David I. Fisher
David I. Fisher, Chairman
Capital Guardian Trust Company
*By /s/ Kenneth R. Gorvetzian
Kenneth R. Gorvetzian
Attorney-in-fact
Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 30, 2003
included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission by Capital Group International, Inc. on
February 10, 2003 with respect to Acclaim Entertainment Inc.
CUSIP: 046353108 Page 8 of 8