AIA Group Ltd Sells 4,929 Shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR)

AIA Group Ltd lowered its holdings in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR - Free Report) by 2.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 170,070 shares of the conglomerate's stock after selling 4,929 shares during the period. Danaher makes up 0.9% of AIA Group Ltd's investment portfolio, making the stock its 29th largest holding. AIA Group Ltd's holdings in Danaher were worth $39,040,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in DHR. Heck Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Danaher in the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. bought a new position in Danaher in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Danaher during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC bought a new stake in shares of Danaher in the 4th quarter worth $31,000. Finally, Pineridge Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Danaher by 63.3% in the fourth quarter. Pineridge Advisors LLC now owns 147 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 79.05% of the company's stock.

Danaher Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:DHR traded down $6.85 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $198.31. 3,203,712 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,195,494. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The stock has a market cap of $141.73 billion, a PE ratio of 37.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.86. The business's fifty day moving average is $212.24 and its two-hundred day moving average is $235.18. Danaher Co. has a one year low of $196.34 and a one year high of $281.70.

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Danaher (NYSE:DHR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $2.14 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $2.14. Danaher had a return on equity of 10.82% and a net margin of 16.33%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $2.09 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.32 per share. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.65%. This is a boost from Danaher's previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 28th. Danaher's dividend payout ratio is 24.24%.

Insider Activity

In other Danaher news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.13, for a total transaction of $1,277,541.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 20,230 shares in the company, valued at $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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Corporate insiders own 11.10% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com cut shares of Danaher from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, December 14th. Jefferies Financial Group cut 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. Raymond James reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Danaher in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Danaher from $285.00 to $265.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of Danaher from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $290.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, December 13th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $278.24.

About Danaher

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.