Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. Cuts Stock Position in Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE)

Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. trimmed its position in shares of Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) by 1.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 8,753 shares of the company’s stock after selling 140 shares during the quarter. Johnson Investment Counsel Inc. owned 0.06% of Chemed worth $4,637,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of CHE. Impax Asset Management Group plc lifted its position in shares of Chemed by 4.7% during the third quarter. Impax Asset Management Group plc now owns 332,757 shares of the company’s stock worth $199,977,000 after purchasing an additional 14,814 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Chemed by 30.4% during the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 17,723 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,651,000 after purchasing an additional 4,136 shares during the last quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Chemed by 59.8% during the third quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 425 shares of the company’s stock worth $255,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Aigen Investment Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Chemed during the third quarter worth $300,000. Finally, First Heartland Consultants Inc. lifted its position in shares of Chemed by 7.2% during the third quarter. First Heartland Consultants Inc. now owns 508 shares of the company’s stock worth $305,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. 95.85% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Chemed Stock Performance

Shares of CHE stock opened at $595.86 on Tuesday. Chemed Co. has a fifty-two week low of $512.12 and a fifty-two week high of $654.62. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.11, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.43. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $553.87 and its 200-day simple moving average is $563.91.

Chemed Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th will be given a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, February 24th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.34%. Chemed’s dividend payout ratio is currently 10.05%.

Insider Activity at Chemed

In other Chemed news, CEO Kevin J. Mcnamara sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $593.67, for a total value of $1,187,340.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 102,679 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,957,441.93. This represents a 1.91 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, VP Brian C. Judkins acquired 145 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 30th. The stock was bought at an average price of $519.50 per share, for a total transaction of $75,327.50. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 1,678 shares in the company, valued at approximately $871,721. This represents a 9.46 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 3.32% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded Chemed from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday.

About Chemed

Chemed Corporation provides hospice and palliative care services to patients through a network of physicians, registered nurses, home health aides, social workers, clergy, and volunteers primarily in the United States. The company operates in VITAS and Roto-Rooter segments. It offers plumbing, drain cleaning, excavation, water restoration, and other related services to residential and commercial customers through company-owned branches, independent contractors, and franchisees.