Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) Position Lessened by Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.

Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. reduced its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 6.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 103,168 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 7,435 shares during the period. Thermo Fisher Scientific comprises about 1.0% of Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 29th largest position. Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $53,671,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. AMF Tjanstepension AB bought a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the third quarter worth $42,409,000. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 4.8% during the third quarter. Valeo Financial Advisors LLC now owns 4,348 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $2,690,000 after purchasing an additional 198 shares during the last quarter. Lion Street Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth $231,000. Octavia Wealth Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 17.1% in the 3rd quarter. Octavia Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 425 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $263,000 after acquiring an additional 62 shares during the period. Finally, Perfromance Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the third quarter valued at about $202,000. 89.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance

Shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock opened at $571.44 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $547.34 and a 200 day simple moving average of $572.26. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $493.30 and a fifty-two week high of $627.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.29. The firm has a market cap of $218.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.57, a P/E/G ratio of 3.18 and a beta of 0.77.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $6.10 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.94 by $0.16. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 17.51% and a net margin of 14.78%. Sell-side analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase program on Friday, November 15th that allows the company to buyback $4.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the medical research company to repurchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on TMO. UBS Group raised their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $700.00 to $715.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Raymond James reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $667.00 target price (up previously from $650.00) on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Barclays decreased their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $610.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Scotiabank boosted their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $605.00 to $650.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com raised shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Thermo Fisher Scientific has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $658.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $530.26, for a total transaction of $5,302,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 111,192 shares in the company, valued at approximately $58,960,669.92. The trade was a 8.25 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total transaction of $175,677.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,363 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,582,009.17. This represents a 1.80 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 20,125 shares of company stock worth $11,231,699. Insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets.