American Century Companies Inc. Lowers Stake in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR)

American Century Companies Inc. lessened its stake in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR - Free Report) by 10.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,086,366 shares of the conglomerate's stock after selling 120,407 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. owned about 0.15% of Danaher worth $249,375,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund lifted its position in shares of Danaher by 11.6% in the 4th quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund now owns 21,233 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $4,874,000 after purchasing an additional 2,202 shares during the period. ORG Partners LLC raised its stake in Danaher by 1,212.8% during the fourth quarter. ORG Partners LLC now owns 2,770 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $636,000 after buying an additional 2,559 shares during the last quarter. Generate Investment Management Ltd bought a new stake in Danaher during the fourth quarter valued at $8,044,000. Stifel Financial Corp grew its holdings in Danaher by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 847,348 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $235,583,000 after acquiring an additional 11,216 shares during the period. Finally, Compass Capital Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Danaher by 4.8% in the 4th quarter. Compass Capital Management Inc. now owns 237,922 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $54,615,000 after acquiring an additional 10,994 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.05% of the company's stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the business's 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 transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 20,230 shares in the company, valued at $4,534,149.90. The trade was a 21.98 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 11.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Danaher Stock Performance

NYSE:DHR traded down $2.25 on Wednesday, reaching $210.15. 2,669,221 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,016,049. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $216.41 and a 200-day simple moving average of $237.75. Danaher Co. has a 52 week low of $196.80 and a 52 week high of $281.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.40 and a quick ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $150.19 billion, a price-to-earnings 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 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 net margin of 16.33% and a return on equity of 10.82%. During the same period last year, the business posted $2.09 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 28th will be given a dividend of $0.32 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 28th. This is a boost from Danaher's previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.61%. Danaher's dividend payout ratio is currently 24.24%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Guggenheim initiated coverage on Danaher in a report on Thursday, December 19th. They set a "buy" rating and a $275.00 price target on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price target on shares of Danaher from $310.00 to $300.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Danaher from $280.00 to $240.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Barclays decreased their target price on shares of Danaher from $275.00 to $240.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $277.00 price target (down previously from $299.00) on shares of Danaher in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $278.24.

Danaher Company 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.