Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) Short Interest Update

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest during the month of January. As of January 31st, there was short interest totalling 3,950,000 shares, an increase of 14.2% from the January 15th total of 3,460,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 2,050,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.9 days. Approximately 1.0% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Insider Buying and Selling

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 sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,363 shares in the company, valued at $9,582,009.17. This trade represents a 1.80 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The shares were 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 owns 111,192 shares in the company, valued at approximately $58,960,669.92. This trade represents a 8.25 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 20,125 shares of company stock valued at $11,231,699. Insiders own 0.34% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. AMF Tjanstepension AB bought a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth about $42,409,000. Creative Planning lifted its stake in 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. IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd lifted its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 15.5% in the 3rd quarter. IQ EQ FUND MANAGEMENT IRELAND Ltd now owns 3,209 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $1,985,000 after purchasing an additional 431 shares during the last quarter. Hengehold Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 31.0% in the 3rd quarter. Hengehold Capital Management LLC now owns 524 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $324,000 after acquiring an additional 124 shares during the period. Finally, Good Life Advisors LLC raised its holdings in 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 acquiring an additional 163 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.23% of the company's stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance

Shares of TMO traded up $7.17 on Thursday, hitting $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 capitalization of $205.80 billion, a PE ratio of 32.55, a PEG ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.77. 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 has a fifty-two week low of $493.30 and a fifty-two week high of $627.88. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $548.36 and a 200 day moving average price of $568.15.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $6.10 EPS for the quarter, topping 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%. On average, research analysts anticipate that Thermo Fisher Scientific will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

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

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

TMO has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Barclays decreased their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $610.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Evercore ISI reduced their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $630.00 to $620.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. StockNews.com raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 14th. 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 research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $680.00 to $665.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $658.00.

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.