Aviva PLC Boosts Holdings in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX)

Aviva PLC lifted its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX - Free Report) by 2.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 550,735 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock after buying an additional 14,577 shares during the quarter. Aviva PLC's holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $49,192,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Resona Asset Management Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Boston Scientific during the fourth quarter worth about $38,930,000. Prudential PLC increased its stake in Boston Scientific by 31.8% during the 4th quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 49,395 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $4,412,000 after buying an additional 11,911 shares in the last quarter. Pitcairn Co. raised its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Pitcairn Co. now owns 21,330 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $1,905,000 after acquiring an additional 682 shares during the last quarter. Arete Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Boston Scientific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $308,000. Finally, World Investment Advisors boosted its stake in shares of Boston Scientific by 13.1% in the fourth quarter. World Investment Advisors now owns 13,215 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $1,180,000 after acquiring an additional 1,531 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.07% of the company's stock.

Boston Scientific Stock Up 1.3 %

Shares of Boston Scientific stock traded up $1.21 during trading on Friday, hitting $93.85. 2,785,755 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,330,636. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 1.02. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $100.73 and its 200 day moving average price is $93.95. The stock has a market cap of $138.82 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 75.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.73. Boston Scientific Co. has a 12-month low of $66.80 and a 12-month high of $107.17.

Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.70 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.05. Boston Scientific had a return on equity of 17.80% and a net margin of 11.07%. As a group, analysts forecast that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Boston Scientific news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 17,313 shares of Boston Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.80, for a total transaction of $1,762,463.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 5,502 shares of the company's stock, valued at $560,103.60. The trade was a 75.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Daniel J. Brennan sold 15,087 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.07, for a total value of $1,585,191.09. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 241,451 shares of the company's stock, valued at $25,369,256.57. The trade was a 5.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 133,183 shares of company stock worth $13,948,476. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BSX has been the subject of a number of research reports. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "hold" rating on shares of Boston Scientific in a report on Monday, March 3rd. Barclays upped their price target on Boston Scientific from $111.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, February 10th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on shares of Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Boston Scientific from $105.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-one have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $109.04.

Boston Scientific Profile

Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system.