Americana Partners LLC Cuts Stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Americana Partners LLC reduced its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO - Free Report) by 35.1% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,774 shares of the medical research company's stock after selling 4,207 shares during the quarter. Americana Partners LLC's holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $4,123,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Halpern Financial Inc. raised its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 307.7% in the third quarter. Halpern Financial Inc. now owns 53 shares of the medical research company's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the second quarter valued at approximately $37,000. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter worth approximately $38,000. 89.23% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Trading Up 1.6 %

NYSE:TMO traded up $8.85 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $579.46. The company had a trading volume of 1,168,170 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,234,523. The company has a market capitalization of $220.95 billion, a PE ratio of 37.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.44 and a beta of 0.80. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $569.39 and a 200 day moving average price of $523.53. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 52 week low of $415.60 and a 52 week high of $603.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a current ratio of 1.75 and a quick ratio of 1.39.

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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a $0.39 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.27%. This is a boost from Thermo Fisher Scientific's previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Thermo Fisher Scientific's payout ratio is 10.10%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have commented on TMO. Sanford C. Bernstein reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Raymond James lifted their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $515.00 to $605.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, March 18th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $620.00 price target on the stock. Barclays downgraded shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $475.00 to $555.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, HSBC initiated coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, December 18th. They set a "buy" rating and a $610.00 price target on the stock. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $599.00.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 sale, the senior vice president now owns 12,901 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,250,362. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $597.98, for a total transaction of $5,979,800.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 123,816 shares in the company, valued at approximately $74,039,491.68. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of the business's stock in a transaction 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 sale, the senior vice president now owns 12,901 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,250,362. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 50,277 shares of company stock worth $28,513,384. Corporate insiders own 0.32% of the company's stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific 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.