Blueshift Asset Management LLC Takes $284,000 Position in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR)

Blueshift Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 1,236 shares of the conglomerate's stock, valued at approximately $284,000.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in DHR. Howard Capital Management Group LLC boosted its holdings in Danaher by 4.1% in the third quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 1,229 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $342,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI boosted its stake in Danaher by 17.3% in the 3rd quarter. Citizens Financial Group Inc. RI now owns 16,940 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $4,713,000 after purchasing an additional 2,499 shares in the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC grew its position in Danaher by 7.4% during the 3rd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 379,341 shares of the conglomerate's stock valued at $105,464,000 after purchasing an additional 26,124 shares during the last quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. raised its holdings in Danaher by 0.4% in the third quarter. Pacer Advisors Inc. now owns 51,110 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $14,210,000 after buying an additional 220 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lathrop Investment Management Corp lifted its stake in shares of Danaher by 13.8% in the third quarter. Lathrop Investment Management Corp now owns 25,705 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $7,147,000 after buying an additional 3,125 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.05% of the company's stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.13, for a total transaction of $1,277,541.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 20,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,534,149.90. This trade represents a 21.98 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 11.10% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Danaher Stock Performance

DHR traded down $2.25 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $210.15. The company had a trading volume of 2,669,221 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,011,853. The business has a 50-day moving average of $216.41 and a two-hundred day moving average of $237.75. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. Danaher Co. has a 1 year low of $196.80 and a 1 year high of $281.70. The company has a market cap of $150.19 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.80, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.82.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $2.14 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14. Danaher had a net margin of 16.33% and a return on equity of 10.82%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.09 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Investors of record on Friday, March 28th will be issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 28th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.61%. This is an increase from Danaher's previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. Danaher's dividend payout ratio is currently 24.24%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on DHR shares. Royal Bank of Canada restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $277.00 price objective (down from $299.00) on shares of Danaher in a report on Thursday, January 30th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on Danaher from $310.00 to $300.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. StockNews.com cut Danaher from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, December 14th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price objective on Danaher from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Raymond James reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of Danaher in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Danaher has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $278.24.

Danaher Profile

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions.