Principal Securities Inc. Has $4.71 Million Stock Holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Principal Securities Inc. increased its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Free Report) by 9.2% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 9,058 shares of the medical research company's stock after purchasing an additional 766 shares during the quarter. Principal Securities Inc.'s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $4,712,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Stonegate Investment Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Stonegate Investment Group LLC now owns 6,788 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $3,531,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the period. Angeles Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.5% in the third quarter. Angeles Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,921 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $2,425,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. Bangor Savings Bank lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.0% in the fourth quarter. Bangor Savings Bank now owns 334 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $174,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. Eagle Rock Investment Company LLC lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Eagle Rock Investment Company LLC now owns 7,463 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $3,882,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares during the period. Finally, Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.8% in the third quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors now owns 2,429 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $1,502,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the period. 89.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Up 1.4 %

NYSE:TMO traded up $7.17 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $538.03. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,967,770 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,101,941. The company has a market cap of $205.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.55, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.77. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a one year low of $493.30 and a one year high of $627.88. The business's 50-day moving average is $548.10 and its 200-day moving average is $568.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 1.66 and a quick ratio of 1.29.

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 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $5.94 by $0.16. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 14.78% and a return on equity of 17.51%. Equities research analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 EPS for the current year.

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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be issued a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.32%. This is a boost from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 14th. Thermo Fisher Scientific's dividend payout ratio is 9.44%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of the 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 completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,363 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,582,009.17. This trade represents a 1.80 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 9,825 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total transaction of $5,753,421.75. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 27,296 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $15,984,264.64. The trade was 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 over the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.34% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have issued reports on TMO. Raymond James reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and issued a $667.00 price target (up previously from $650.00) on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $680.00 to $665.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $630.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, January 10th. UBS Group upped their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $700.00 to $715.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $660.00 to $680.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Thermo Fisher Scientific currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $658.00.

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.