Gamco Investors INC. ET AL Raises Holdings in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX)

Gamco Investors INC. ET AL lifted its stake in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX - Free Report) by 7.5% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 129,325 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock after purchasing an additional 9,035 shares during the quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL's holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $11,551,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in BSX. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Boston Scientific by 1.2% during the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 132,890,784 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $11,869,805,000 after buying an additional 1,600,062 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in shares of Boston Scientific by 10.2% during the fourth quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 36,165,399 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $3,230,293,000 after acquiring an additional 3,344,571 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Boston Scientific by 3.5% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 30,626,170 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock worth $2,729,371,000 after purchasing an additional 1,041,329 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Boston Scientific in the 4th quarter worth about $1,762,522,000. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. grew its position in Boston Scientific by 5.3% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 16,539,488 shares of the medical equipment provider's stock valued at $1,477,307,000 after purchasing an additional 832,386 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.07% of the company's stock.

Boston Scientific Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE BSX traded down $1.08 during trading on Monday, hitting $94.04. The company had a trading volume of 3,004,435 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,357,840. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $99.46 and a 200 day simple moving average of $94.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $139.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 75.23, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a current ratio of 1.08. Boston Scientific Co. has a 12 month low of $66.80 and a 12 month high of $107.17.

Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.65 by $0.05. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 11.07% and a return on equity of 17.80%. As a group, analysts anticipate that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Arthur C. Butcher sold 17,313 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.80, for a total value of $1,762,463.40. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,502 shares in the company, valued at $560,103.60. The trade was a 75.88 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Daniel J. Brennan sold 15,087 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.07, for a total value of $1,585,191.09. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 241,451 shares of the company's stock, valued at $25,369,256.57. This represents a 5.88 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 133,183 shares of company stock valued at $13,948,476. Company insiders own 0.50% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have issued reports on BSX shares. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Boston Scientific from $107.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Raymond James upped their price objective on Boston Scientific from $119.00 to $122.00 and gave the company a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $118.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $120.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Boston Scientific currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $110.22.

Boston Scientific Company Profile

Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system.