Taikang Asset Management Hong Kong Co Ltd Purchases 3,084 Shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Taikang Asset Management Hong Kong Co Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 21.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 17,516 shares of the medical research company’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,084 shares during the quarter. Thermo Fisher Scientific makes up approximately 1.3% of Taikang Asset Management Hong Kong Co Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 17th largest holding. Taikang Asset Management Hong Kong Co Ltd’s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $9,112,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Missouri Trust & Investment Co acquired a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Finally, Pillar Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. 89.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE TMO opened at $520.25 on Tuesday. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1-year low of $493.30 and a 1-year high of $627.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $545.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $554.91. The company has a market capitalization of $196.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.47, a PEG ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.79.

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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.43 per share. This is a positive change from Thermo Fisher Scientific’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.33%. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.41%.

Insider Transactions at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $516.67, for a total value of $5,166,700.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 115,174 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $59,506,950.58. The trade was a 7.99 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total value of $175,677.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,363 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,582,009.17. This trade represents a 1.80 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 23,900 shares of company stock valued at $13,106,062 in the last three months. 0.34% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on TMO shares. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 14th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $660.00 to $680.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America lowered their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $675.00 to $660.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $647.00 to $678.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Scotiabank lifted their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $605.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $653.23.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

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.