Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) Shares Acquired by Blue Trust Inc.

Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 39.6% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 2,386 shares of the medical research company’s stock after acquiring an additional 677 shares during the period. Blue Trust Inc.’s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $1,241,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of TMO. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter valued at $26,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter valued at $27,000. Missouri Trust & Investment Co purchased a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, RPg Family Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter valued at $50,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.23% of the company’s stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance

TMO opened at $584.38 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $223.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.76. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $535.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $570.10. The company has a quick ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 12-month low of $493.30 and a 12-month high of $627.88.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program on Friday, November 15th that permits the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the medical research company to buy up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 13th were issued a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 13th. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 9.78%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 5,850 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $557.89, for a total value of $3,263,656.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 121,192 shares in the company, valued at approximately $67,611,804.88. This trade represents a 4.60 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In the last quarter, insiders sold 34,850 shares of company stock worth $19,123,197. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Barclays reduced their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $610.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $680.00 to $665.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Redburn Atlantic assumed coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $680.00 price objective for the company. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $632.00 to $622.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 24th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $767.00 to $718.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $648.95.

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.