Lazard Asset Management LLC Has $452,000 Stake in Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI)

Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its position in Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI - Free Report) by 332.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,682 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock after buying an additional 3,600 shares during the quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC's holdings in Merit Medical Systems were worth $452,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Barclays PLC grew its stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems by 305.4% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 112,727 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $11,142,000 after buying an additional 84,923 shares in the last quarter. EULAV Asset Management grew its stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems by 400.0% in the fourth quarter. EULAV Asset Management now owns 115,000 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $11,123,000 after buying an additional 92,000 shares in the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA grew its stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems by 13.8% in the fourth quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 8,675 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $839,000 after buying an additional 1,049 shares in the last quarter. Whalen Wealth Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Merit Medical Systems in the fourth quarter valued at $247,000. Finally, Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH grew its stake in shares of Merit Medical Systems by 8.3% in the fourth quarter. Fort Washington Investment Advisors Inc. OH now owns 195,140 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $18,874,000 after buying an additional 14,990 shares in the last quarter. 99.66% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Merit Medical Systems Stock Performance

Shares of MMSI traded up $1.12 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $96.50. 376,501 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 520,342. Merit Medical Systems, Inc. has a twelve month low of $80.02 and a twelve month high of $111.45. The company has a quick ratio of 3.82, a current ratio of 5.36 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The company has a market cap of $5.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.30, a PEG ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.70. The stock's 50 day simple moving average is $96.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $100.40.

Merit Medical Systems (NASDAQ:MMSI - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.75 by $0.11. The company had revenue of $355.35 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $352.57 million. Merit Medical Systems had a return on equity of 15.61% and a net margin of 9.05%. The company's revenue was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.77 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Merit Medical Systems, Inc. will post 3.37 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barrington Research decreased their target price on shares of Merit Medical Systems from $111.00 to $103.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 25th. Canaccord Genuity Group set a $112.00 price objective on shares of Merit Medical Systems and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 21st. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $110.00 price objective (up from $106.00) on shares of Merit Medical Systems in a research report on Friday. Raymond James reduced their price objective on shares of Merit Medical Systems from $116.00 to $108.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $108.00 price objective (up from $106.00) on shares of Merit Medical Systems in a research report on Wednesday, May 21st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $109.11.

Insider Activity at Merit Medical Systems

In related news, Director Stephen C. Evans sold 5,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.31, for a total value of $526,550.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 4,657 shares of the company's stock, valued at $490,428.67. The trade was a 51.78% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director F. Ann Millner sold 21,250 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.47, for a total value of $2,049,987.50. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 34,543 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,332,363.21. The trade was a 38.09% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 130,382 shares of company stock valued at $13,189,508 over the last quarter. 3.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Merit Medical Systems Profile

Merit Medical Systems, Inc designs, develops, manufactures, and markets single-use medical products for interventional, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Cardiovascular and Endoscopy. The company provides micropuncture kits, angiographic needles, sheaths, guide wires, and safety products; peripheral intervention, including angiography, drainage, delivery systems, and embolotherapy products; spine products, such as vertebral augmentation, radiofrequency ablation, and bone biopsy systems; oncology products; and cardiac intervention products, such as access, angiography, electrophysiology and cardiac rhythm management, fluid management, hemodynamic monitoring, hemostasis, and intervention to treat various heart conditions.