Merit Financial Group LLC Buys 3,934 Shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. $TMO

Key Points

• Merit Financial Group increased its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 34%, adding 3,934 shares to own 15,504 shares valued at about $8.98 million per its latest 13F filing.
• Thermo Fisher beat Q results with $6.57 EPS vs. $6.45 expected and $12.22 billion revenue (up 7.2% YoY), and Wall Street holds a consensus "Moderate Buy" with a $631.25 price target.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.47 (annualized $1.88), yielding about 0.4%, up from the prior $0.43 payment.

Merit Financial Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Free Report) by 34.0% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 15,504 shares of the medical research company's stock after acquiring an additional 3,934 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC's holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $8,984,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Beacon Financial Strategies CORP bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Olistico Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 126.9% during the 3rd quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 59 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $29,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the period. Finally, Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth $31,000. 89.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently weighed in on TMO. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $583.00 to $700.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, January 9th. Wall Street Zen raised Thermo Fisher Scientific from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, February 28th. Barclays decreased their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $650.00 to $625.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reissued a "hold (c)" rating on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. Finally, Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $650.00 price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Monday, January 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have issued a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $631.25.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Up 1.9%

Shares of NYSE TMO opened at $526.04 on Friday. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 52 week low of $385.46 and a 52 week high of $643.99. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $501.60 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $550.33. The company has a quick ratio of 1.53, a current ratio of 1.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The company has a market cap of $195.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.65, a P/E/G ratio of 2.76 and a beta of 0.97.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The medical research company reported $6.57 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.45 by $0.12. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 16.92% and a net margin of 15.05%.The business had revenue of $12.22 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.95 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $6.10 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 13th were paid a $0.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 13th. This represents a $1.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. This is an increase from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.43. Thermo Fisher Scientific's dividend payout ratio is 10.60%.

Insider Activity

In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 400 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $541.20, for a total value of $216,480.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 20,752 shares in the company, valued at $11,230,982.40. This trade represents a 1.89% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 5,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $512.40, for a total value of $2,562,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 123,925 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $63,499,170. This represents a 3.88% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.33% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile

Thermo Fisher Scientific NYSE: TMO is a global provider of scientific instrumentation, reagents and consumables, software, and services that support research, clinical, and industrial laboratories. The company supplies analytical instruments and laboratory equipment, life sciences reagents and kits, specialty diagnostics, and a broad range of consumables used by researchers, clinicians, and manufacturers. Its offerings also include laboratory information management and data-analysis software, as well as service solutions such as instrument maintenance, validation, and logistics that help customers run complex workflows efficiently.

Thermo Fisher operates through multiple business areas that broadly cover life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services, including contract development and manufacturing for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

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