Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) Shares Bought by Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund

Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund boosted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Free Report) by 13.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 12,797 shares of the medical research company's stock after acquiring an additional 1,487 shares during the quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund's holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $6,657,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in TMO. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC bought a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. bought a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Missouri Trust & Investment Co bought a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. bought a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 89.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have recently commented on TMO. Raymond James reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $667.00 target price (up previously from $650.00) on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $767.00 to $718.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. UBS Group upped their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $700.00 to $715.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $647.00 to $678.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Bank of America dropped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $675.00 to $660.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $658.00.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of TMO traded down $5.28 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $532.55. 1,613,862 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,087,588. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1 year low of $493.30 and a 1 year high of $627.88. The firm's fifty day moving average is $548.47 and its 200-day moving average is $567.70. 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 stock has a market capitalization of $203.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 0.77.

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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th will be paid a $0.43 dividend. This is a positive change from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.32%. Thermo Fisher Scientific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 9.44%.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Friday, November 15th that authorizes the company to buyback $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the medical research company to repurchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are often a sign that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $530.26, for a total value of $5,302,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 111,192 shares in the company, valued at $58,960,669.92. This trade represents a 8.25 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 9,825 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total value of $5,753,421.75. Following the completion of the transaction, 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 position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 20,125 shares of company stock worth $11,231,699 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 0.34% of the company's stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Company 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.