Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC Increases Stake in Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY)

Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its position in Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY - Free Report) by 40.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 74,362 shares of the company's stock after acquiring an additional 21,389 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC's holdings in Sanofi were worth $3,586,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Sanofi by 952.6% in the fourth quarter. McClarren Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 600 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 543 shares during the period. Lee Danner & Bass Inc. purchased a new stake in Sanofi in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its holdings in Sanofi by 59.8% in the 4th quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 647 shares of the company's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 242 shares during the period. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new position in Sanofi during the 4th quarter worth approximately $44,000. Finally, Whipplewood Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Sanofi during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $76,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 14.04% of the company's stock.

Sanofi Price Performance

Shares of SNY stock traded up $0.63 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $50.39. 1,086,630 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,402,521. Sanofi has a 52-week low of $45.80 and a 52-week high of $60.12. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15. The company has a market cap of $123.57 billion, a PE ratio of 20.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 0.50. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $51.79 and a 200 day moving average of $51.93.

Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 24th. The company reported $0.94 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.90 by $0.04. Sanofi had a return on equity of 25.61% and a net margin of 12.77%. The company had revenue of $10.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $9.79 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.78 earnings per share. Sanofi's revenue for the quarter was down 11.0% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts anticipate that Sanofi will post 4.36 earnings per share for the current year.

Sanofi Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared an annual dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 12th. Investors of record on Friday, May 9th will be paid a $2.0369 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 9th. This represents a yield of 3.1%. This is a boost from Sanofi's previous annual dividend of $1.48. Sanofi's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 57.14%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on SNY. Guggenheim reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Sanofi in a research note on Tuesday. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Sanofi in a report on Friday, March 21st. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $65.00 price target on the stock. Hsbc Global Res upgraded Sanofi to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Monday, April 28th. BNP Paribas started coverage on Sanofi in a report on Tuesday, April 15th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $65.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $56.00 target price on Sanofi in a report on Monday. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $61.50.

Sanofi Profile

Sanofi, a healthcare company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of therapeutic solutions in the United States, Europe, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Pharmaceuticals, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare segments. The company provides specialty care, such as DUPIXENT, neurology and immunology, rare diseases, oncology, and rare blood disorders; medicines for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases; and established prescription products.