Korea Investment CORP Acquires 3,913 Shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR)

Korea Investment CORP grew its position in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR - Free Report) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 500,750 shares of the conglomerate's stock after acquiring an additional 3,913 shares during the quarter. Korea Investment CORP owned about 0.07% of Danaher worth $114,947,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of Danaher by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 59,750,122 shares of the conglomerate's stock valued at $13,715,641,000 after buying an additional 315,912 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Danaher by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 8,589,019 shares of the conglomerate's stock valued at $1,971,609,000 after acquiring an additional 441,012 shares during the last quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Danaher by 3.0% in the 3rd quarter. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC now owns 5,097,986 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $1,417,342,000 after acquiring an additional 148,251 shares during the last quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Danaher by 0.6% during the fourth quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 4,578,945 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $1,051,097,000 after purchasing an additional 26,305 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Danaher by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 4,066,755 shares of the conglomerate's stock worth $933,524,000 after buying an additional 135,047 shares in the last quarter. 79.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have commented on DHR shares. Scotiabank began coverage on shares of Danaher in a report on Monday, December 23rd. They set a "sector perform" rating and a $265.00 price target for the company. Bank of America upgraded shares of Danaher from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $290.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Danaher from $275.00 to $240.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Jefferies Financial Group reduced their price target on shares of Danaher from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 29th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their target price on Danaher from $285.00 to $265.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Five equities research 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 a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $278.24.

Danaher Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE DHR opened at $205.01 on Tuesday. 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 company has a market capitalization of $146.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.82. Danaher Co. has a one year low of $196.80 and a one year high of $281.70. The business's 50-day moving average price is $213.91 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $235.91.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $2.14 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.14. Danaher had a net margin of 16.33% and a return on equity of 10.82%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.09 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 28th will be paid a $0.32 dividend. This is a boost from Danaher's previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 28th. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.62%. Danaher's dividend payout ratio is currently 24.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.13, for a total value of $1,277,541.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 20,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,534,149.90. The trade was a 21.98 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 11.10% of the company's stock.

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.