Checchi Capital Advisers LLC Raises Holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Checchi Capital Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 0.8% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,163 shares of the medical research company’s stock after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the quarter. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC’s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $1,645,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. National Pension Service boosted its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.0% during the 4th quarter. National Pension Service now owns 744,979 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $387,560,000 after acquiring an additional 42,450 shares in the last quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC boosted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 7.0% during the fourth quarter. Lake Street Advisors Group LLC now owns 4,492 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $2,338,000 after purchasing an additional 292 shares in the last quarter. Kirtland Hills Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Kirtland Hills Capital Management LLC now owns 2,219 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $1,155,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. FFT Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 41.9% during the 4th quarter. FFT Wealth Management LLC now owns 667 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $347,000 after buying an additional 197 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund boosted its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 23.2% in the 4th quarter. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund now owns 16,723 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $8,700,000 after buying an additional 3,145 shares in the last quarter. 89.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total transaction of $175,677.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 16,363 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,582,009.17. This trade represents a 1.80 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO Stephen Williamson sold 9,825 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $585.59, for a total value of $5,753,421.75. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 27,296 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,984,264.64. This represents a 26.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 20,125 shares of company stock worth $11,231,699. Company insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts have issued reports on TMO shares. Royal Bank of Canada set a $693.00 price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Friday, January 31st. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $660.00 to $680.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Bank of America reduced their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $675.00 to $660.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Raymond James reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $667.00 price objective (up previously from $650.00) on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $647.00 to $678.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, January 31st. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $656.86.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance

TMO opened at $539.86 on Wednesday. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 12-month low of $493.30 and a 12-month high of $627.88. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $548.80 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $566.46. The firm has a market capitalization of $206.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.77. The company has a quick ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $6.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.94 by $0.16. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 14.78% and a return on equity of 17.51%. On average, equities analysts forecast that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Friday, November 15th that permits the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the medical research company to purchase up to 2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are often a sign that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th will be given a dividend of $0.43 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 14th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.32%. This is an increase from Thermo Fisher Scientific’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s payout ratio is presently 10.41%.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

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.