Horan Capital Advisors LLC. Decreases Stock Position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Horan Capital Advisors LLC. cut its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Free Report) by 11.4% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,260 shares of the medical research company's stock after selling 808 shares during the period. Thermo Fisher Scientific accounts for 1.1% of Horan Capital Advisors LLC.'s holdings, making the stock its 28th biggest holding. Horan Capital Advisors LLC.'s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $3,257,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. Barrett & Company Inc. purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Missouri Trust & Investment Co purchased a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. 89.23% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Down 1.3 %

Shares of TMO traded down $7.07 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $516.57. 2,720,095 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,056,704. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 52 week low of $493.30 and a 52 week high of $627.88. The company has a current ratio of 1.66, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. The company's 50 day moving average is $549.08 and its two-hundred day moving average is $563.73. The company has a market capitalization of $194.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.25, a PEG ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.77.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $6.10 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $5.94 by $0.16. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 17.51% and a net margin of 14.78%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its board has approved a share repurchase plan on Friday, November 15th that allows the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the medical research company to purchase up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company's board believes its stock is undervalued.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.33%. This is an increase from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. Thermo Fisher Scientific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.41%.

Insider Activity at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 9,825 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total transaction of $5,753,421.75. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 27,296 shares of the company's stock, valued at $15,984,264.64. This trade represents a 26.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total value of $175,677.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,363 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,582,009.17. The trade was a 1.80 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.34% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages have recently issued reports on TMO. StockNews.com raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $650.00 to $570.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Royal Bank of Canada set a $693.00 price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Friday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $660.00 to $680.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $605.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $653.23.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Profile

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets.