Monte Financial Group LLC Has $1.18 Million Holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Monte Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 2.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 2,270 shares of the medical research company’s stock after buying an additional 57 shares during the quarter. Monte Financial Group LLC’s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $1,181,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in TMO. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 3rd quarter valued at $26,000. Peterson Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the third quarter worth about $27,000. Missouri Trust & Investment Co bought a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. bought a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, Decker Retirement Planning Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the fourth quarter worth $43,000. 89.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance

Thermo Fisher Scientific stock opened at $575.21 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $220.02 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.06, a PEG ratio of 3.82 and a beta of 0.76. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $533.60 and its 200-day moving average is $569.32. The company has a current ratio of 1.63, a quick ratio of 1.26 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 (NYSE:TMO) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The medical research company reported $5.28 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.25 by $0.03. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 17.49% and a net margin of 14.48%. The company had revenue of $10.60 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.63 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $5.69 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.69 EPS for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, December 13th were issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.27%. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 9.78%.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a stock repurchase program on Friday, November 15th that allows the company to buyback $4.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization allows the medical research company to purchase up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms have issued reports on TMO. Bernstein Bank upped their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $565.00 to $625.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 22nd. Stephens assumed coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Tuesday, October 1st. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $680.00 price target on the stock. Barclays decreased their price objective 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 target price 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. Finally, Redburn Atlantic began coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $680.00 price objective on the stock. Four 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 stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $648.95.

Insider Activity at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In other news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 5,850 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $557.89, for a total transaction of $3,263,656.50. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 121,192 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $67,611,804.88. This represents a 4.60 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 44,850 shares of company stock worth $24,666,097. Company insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific 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.