Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX) Given Average Recommendation of "Buy" by Analysts

Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX - Get Free Report) has received a consensus rating of "Buy" from the twenty-three research firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Twenty-two research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $110.22.

Several analysts have recently commented on BSX shares. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Boston Scientific from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Boston Scientific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $108.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 10th. Argus set a $130.00 target price on shares of Boston Scientific in a research note on Tuesday, February 18th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Boston Scientific from $105.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th.

Boston Scientific Trading Up 1.5 %

Shares of Boston Scientific stock opened at $94.96 on Wednesday. Boston Scientific has a 12-month low of $67.80 and a 12-month high of $107.17. The firm's 50 day simple moving average is $99.00 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $94.55. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. The firm has a market capitalization of $140.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 75.97, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.73.

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 (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.65 by $0.05. Boston Scientific had a return on equity of 17.80% and a net margin of 11.07%. Analysts predict that Boston Scientific will post 2.85 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Boston Scientific

In related 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 completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,502 shares in the company, valued at $560,103.60. The trade was a 75.88 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Vance R. Brown sold 4,826 shares of Boston Scientific stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $95.09, for a total value of $458,904.34. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 36,193 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,441,592.37. This represents a 11.77 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 138,009 shares of company stock worth $14,407,381. Company insiders own 0.50% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. TFC Financial Management Inc. increased its position in Boston Scientific by 308.8% during the fourth quarter. TFC Financial Management Inc. now owns 278 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the last quarter. Colonial Trust Co SC increased its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific by 1,625.0% during the 4th quarter. Colonial Trust Co SC now owns 276 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 260 shares during the last quarter. Investment Management Corp VA ADV acquired a new position in Boston Scientific in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Sunbeam Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Boston Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Finally, Global Wealth Strategies & Associates increased its stake in Boston Scientific by 423.7% during the fourth quarter. Global Wealth Strategies & Associates now owns 309 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.07% of the company's stock.

Boston Scientific Company 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.

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