Erste Asset Management GmbH Cuts Stock Holdings in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR)

Erste Asset Management GmbH lowered its stake in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR) by 14.9% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 18,504 shares of the conglomerate’s stock after selling 3,236 shares during the quarter. Erste Asset Management GmbH’s holdings in Danaher were worth $4,276,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of DHR. Heck Capital Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Danaher during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Danaher during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Danaher during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association of America acquired a new position in Danaher in the third quarter valued at $39,000. Finally, MidAtlantic Capital Management Inc. acquired a new position in Danaher in the third quarter valued at $40,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.05% of the company’s stock.

Danaher Trading Up 3.4 %

NYSE DHR opened at $211.09 on Friday. Danaher Co. has a 52-week low of $196.80 and a 52-week high of $281.70. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $150.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.98, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.82. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $220.07 and a 200 day moving average price of $240.82.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $2.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.14. Danaher had a net margin of 16.33% and a return on equity of 10.82%. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.09 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 EPS for the current year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 28th will be issued a $0.32 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 28th. This is a boost from Danaher’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. This represents a $1.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.61%. Danaher’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 24.24%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Danaher

In other Danaher news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $224.13, for a total value of $1,277,541.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 20,230 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,534,149.90. This trade represents a 21.98 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. 11.10% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $277.00 price objective (down previously from $299.00) on shares of Danaher in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Stifel Nicolaus upgraded shares of Danaher from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $260.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $310.00 to $300.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $280.00 to $240.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of Danaher from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 29th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Danaher presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $277.76.

About Danaher

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions.