Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI) Shares Sold by Westwood Holdings Group Inc.

Westwood Holdings Group Inc. reduced its position in Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI - Free Report) by 4.5% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 613,635 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock after selling 28,959 shares during the period. Westwood Holdings Group Inc. owned 1.05% of Merit Medical Systems worth $59,351,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Barclays PLC raised its position in Merit Medical Systems by 305.4% during the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 112,727 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $11,142,000 after buying an additional 84,923 shares during the last quarter. EULAV Asset Management raised its position in Merit Medical Systems by 400.0% during the 4th quarter. EULAV Asset Management now owns 115,000 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $11,123,000 after buying an additional 92,000 shares during the last quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA raised its position in Merit Medical Systems by 13.8% during the 4th quarter. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA now owns 8,675 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $839,000 after buying an additional 1,049 shares during the last quarter. AMI Asset Management Corp raised its position in Merit Medical Systems by 28.7% during the 4th quarter. AMI Asset Management Corp now owns 33,041 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $3,196,000 after buying an additional 7,367 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC raised its position in Merit Medical Systems by 332.7% during the 4th quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 4,682 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $452,000 after buying an additional 3,600 shares during the last quarter. 99.66% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Stephen C. Evans sold 5,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $105.31, for a total transaction of $526,550.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 4,657 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $490,428.67. The trade was a 51.78% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Raul Jr. Parra sold 12,451 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $98.81, for a total transaction of $1,230,283.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 24,201 shares in the company, valued at $2,391,300.81. The trade was a 33.97% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 130,382 shares of company stock valued at $13,189,508. 3.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Merit Medical Systems Price Performance

MMSI traded down $1.38 on Thursday, hitting $95.11. 542,556 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 519,559. Merit Medical Systems, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $80.02 and a fifty-two week high of $111.45. The company has a current ratio of 5.36, a quick ratio of 3.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $96.72 and a 200-day moving average price of $100.56. The stock has a market cap of $5.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.62, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.70.

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their target price on shares of Merit Medical Systems from $108.00 to $112.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird cut their target price on shares of Merit Medical Systems from $111.00 to $110.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on shares of Merit Medical Systems in a report on Friday, March 28th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $120.00 target price for the company. Barrington Research cut 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 report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC boosted their price target on shares of Merit Medical Systems from $100.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, May 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $109.33.

About Merit Medical Systems

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.