Strategic Advisors LLC Lowers Stock Holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Strategic Advisors LLC cut its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Free Report) by 40.1% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 3,661 shares of the medical research company's stock after selling 2,453 shares during the quarter. Strategic Advisors LLC's holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $1,905,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in TMO. AMF Tjanstepension AB acquired a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter worth $42,409,000. Creative Planning lifted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3.1% in the 3rd quarter. Creative Planning now owns 101,174 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $62,583,000 after purchasing an additional 3,072 shares during the last quarter. Good Life Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 35.6% in the 3rd quarter. Good Life Advisors LLC now owns 621 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $384,000 after purchasing an additional 163 shares during the last quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 54,575 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $33,759,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 1.2% in the 3rd quarter. Stratos Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 3,781 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $2,339,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. 89.23% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Activity at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total value of $175,677.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,363 shares of the company's stock, valued at $9,582,009.17. This trade represents a 1.80 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, 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 transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 111,192 shares of the company's stock, valued at $58,960,669.92. The trade was a 8.25 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 20,125 shares of company stock valued at $11,231,699 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 0.34% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Bank of America decreased their price target 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. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $767.00 to $718.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $647.00 to $678.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. StockNews.com upgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective 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 equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Thermo Fisher Scientific currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $658.00.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE TMO traded up $7.17 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $538.03. The stock had a trading volume of 1,967,770 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,101,941. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $493.30 and a fifty-two week high of $627.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $548.10 and a 200-day moving average of $568.36. 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 firm has a market cap of $205.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.55, a PEG ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.77.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $6.10 earnings per share 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%. Equities research analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific declared that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Friday, November 15th that authorizes the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical research company to repurchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are typically an indication that the company's leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed 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 an increase from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.32%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. Thermo Fisher Scientific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 9.44%.

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.