Synergy Asset Management LLC Trims Holdings in Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE)

Synergy Asset Management LLC trimmed its position in Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE - Free Report) by 92.3% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,463 shares of the company's stock after selling 17,547 shares during the period. Synergy Asset Management LLC's holdings in Chemed were worth $772,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. KBC Group NV lifted its holdings in Chemed by 1,436.8% in the 4th quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 5,809 shares of the company's stock valued at $3,078,000 after purchasing an additional 5,431 shares in the last quarter. Blue Trust Inc. lifted its holdings in Chemed by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 1,921 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,018,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. KFG Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Chemed by 14.9% during the 4th quarter. KFG Wealth Management LLC now owns 502 shares of the company's stock valued at $266,000 after acquiring an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. Fenimore Asset Management Inc increased its stake in shares of Chemed by 7.3% during the 4th quarter. Fenimore Asset Management Inc now owns 29,105 shares of the company's stock valued at $15,420,000 after acquiring an additional 1,968 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fifth Third Bancorp increased its stake in shares of Chemed by 12.1% during the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 4,934 shares of the company's stock valued at $2,614,000 after acquiring an additional 531 shares during the last quarter. 95.85% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CHE has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Chemed from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, November 30th. Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price objective on shares of Chemed from $697.00 to $633.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Chemed news, EVP Spencer S. Lee sold 732 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $575.62, for a total value of $421,353.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 18,287 shares in the company, valued at $10,526,362.94. This represents a 3.85 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Brian C. Judkins purchased 145 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Monday, December 30th. The stock was bought at an average price of $519.50 per share, with a total value of $75,327.50. Following the acquisition, the vice president now owns 1,678 shares in the company, valued at $871,721. This trade represents a 9.46 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Corporate insiders own 3.32% of the company's stock.

Chemed Stock Performance

CHE traded down $5.85 on Monday, reaching $556.15. 87,888 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 94,948. The company's 50 day moving average is $544.78 and its 200-day moving average is $564.26. The company has a market cap of $8.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.10, a PEG ratio of 2.19 and a beta of 0.48. Chemed Co. has a twelve month low of $512.12 and a twelve month high of $654.62.

Chemed Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Investors of record on Monday, November 18th were given a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.36%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, November 18th. Chemed's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.11%.

Chemed Company Profile

Chemed Corporation provides hospice and palliative care services to patients through a network of physicians, registered nurses, home health aides, social workers, clergy, and volunteers primarily in the United States. The company operates in VITAS and Roto-Rooter segments. It offers plumbing, drain cleaning, excavation, water restoration, and other related services to residential and commercial customers through company-owned branches, independent contractors, and franchisees.