Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE:MTD) Shares Sold by National Pension Service

National Pension Service cut its holdings in shares of Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE:MTD) by 2.0% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 33,368 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 671 shares during the quarter. National Pension Service owned about 0.16% of Mettler-Toledo International worth $40,832,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of MTD. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 242.9% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 24 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 17 shares during the period. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC purchased a new position in Mettler-Toledo International during the third quarter worth about $37,000. Sound Income Strategies LLC raised its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 4,500.0% during the fourth quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC now owns 46 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $56,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the period. Huntington National Bank raised its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 20.0% during the third quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 54 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $81,000 after purchasing an additional 9 shares during the period. Finally, Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. raised its stake in Mettler-Toledo International by 80.0% during the third quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. now owns 54 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $81,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares during the period. 95.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Mettler-Toledo International Stock Up 1.4 %

Shares of MTD opened at $1,271.44 on Friday. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $1,142.91 and a fifty-two week high of $1,546.93. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $1,291.19 and its 200 day moving average price is $1,330.22. The company has a market cap of $26.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.37, a PEG ratio of 3.30 and a beta of 1.13.

Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 13th. The medical instruments supplier reported $12.41 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $11.76 by $0.65. Mettler-Toledo International had a net margin of 22.29% and a negative return on equity of 591.54%. Research analysts forecast that Mettler-Toledo International Inc. will post 42.71 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Gerry Keller sold 140 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,254.09, for a total transaction of $175,572.60. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 6 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $7,524.54. This represents a 95.89 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Christian Magloth sold 790 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,313.69, for a total transaction of $1,037,815.10. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 734 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $964,248.46. This trade represents a 51.84 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 1,530 shares of company stock valued at $2,024,192 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 1.94% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have commented on MTD shares. Wolfe Research started coverage on shares of Mettler-Toledo International in a research note on Friday, December 13th. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,350.00 to $1,400.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,362.00 to $1,369.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Evercore ISI boosted their price target on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,450.00 to $1,475.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, February 10th. Finally, Citigroup raised shares of Mettler-Toledo International from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $1,200.00 to $1,300.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $1,368.00.

About Mettler-Toledo International

Mettler-Toledo International Inc manufactures and supplies precision instruments and services in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through five segments: U.S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other. The company’s laboratory instruments include laboratory balances, liquid pipetting solutions, automated laboratory reactors, real-time analytics, titrators, pH meters, process analytics sensors and analyzer technologies, physical value analyzers, density and refractometry, thermal analysis systems, and other analytical instruments; and LabX, a laboratory software platform to manage and analyze data generated from its instruments.