Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) Shares Gap Down to $547.25

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) shares gapped down prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $547.25, but opened at $534.80. Thermo Fisher Scientific shares last traded at $537.63, with a volume of 340,357 shares traded.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. TheStreet raised shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from a "c+" rating to a "b-" rating in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $550.00 to $640.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 10th. Evercore ISI lifted their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $575.00 to $610.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, April 4th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $592.00 to $642.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Finally, Barclays cut shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and increased their price target for the company from $475.00 to $555.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Thermo Fisher Scientific has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $604.69.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $206.80 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.80. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $571.57 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $527.01. The company has a quick ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical research company reported $5.67 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.64 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $10.89 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.73 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 13.99% and a return on equity of 18.78%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $5.40 earnings per share. Equities research analysts forecast that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th were given a dividend of $0.39 per share. This is a boost from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.29%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, March 14th. Thermo Fisher Scientific's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.10%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $562.00, for a total transaction of $8,186,092.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 12,901 shares in the company, valued at $7,250,362. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $555.63, for a total value of $5,556,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 49,155 shares of the company's stock, valued at $27,311,992.65. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $562.00, for a total transaction of $8,186,092.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 12,901 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $7,250,362. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 50,277 shares of company stock worth $28,513,384. Insiders own 0.32% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Thermo Fisher Scientific

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Savant Capital LLC lifted its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.5% in the 4th quarter. Savant Capital LLC now owns 3,627 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $1,997,000 after purchasing an additional 18 shares in the last quarter. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.9% during the 4th quarter. Sugarloaf Wealth Management LLC now owns 294 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $156,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton increased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 526 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $279,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Tsfg LLC increased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 8.3% during the 4th quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 249 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $132,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. Finally, 1776 Wealth LLC increased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. 1776 Wealth LLC now owns 799 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $440,000 after purchasing an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. 89.23% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets.