Van ECK Associates Corp Boosts Stock Position in Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE)

Van ECK Associates Corp boosted its position in Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE - Free Report) by 30.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 15,141 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 3,531 shares during the period. Van ECK Associates Corp owned about 0.10% of Chemed worth $8,022,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of CHE. UMB Bank n.a. grew its position in shares of Chemed by 300.0% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 52 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new stake in Chemed in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Chemed by 2,314.3% in the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 338 shares of the company's stock valued at $203,000 after buying an additional 324 shares during the period. KBC Group NV increased its stake in shares of Chemed by 11.5% during the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 378 shares of the company's stock valued at $227,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Chemed by 59.8% during the 3rd quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 425 shares of the company's stock worth $255,000 after acquiring an additional 159 shares during the period. 95.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on shares of Chemed from $697.00 to $633.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. StockNews.com upgraded Chemed from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, November 30th.

Insider Activity at Chemed

In related news, VP Brian C. Judkins bought 145 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 30th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $519.50 per share, for a total transaction of $75,327.50. Following the completion of the purchase, the vice president now owns 1,678 shares in the company, valued at $871,721. This represents a 9.46 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Spencer S. Lee sold 732 shares of the business'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 transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 18,287 shares in the company, valued at $10,526,362.94. This trade represents a 3.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 3.32% of the company's stock.

Chemed Stock Down 1.0 %

Shares of NYSE CHE traded down $5.35 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $544.75. The stock had a trading volume of 126,310 shares, compared to its average volume of 89,824. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $542.60 and a 200 day moving average price of $563.80. The company has a market capitalization of $8.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.53, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 0.48. Chemed Co. has a 1-year low of $512.12 and a 1-year high of $654.62.

Chemed Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 24th will be paid a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.37%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. Chemed's dividend payout ratio 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.