Synergy Asset Management LLC Invests $70,000 in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Synergy Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 134 shares of the medical research company’s stock, valued at approximately $70,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Strategic Planning Group LLC boosted its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 4.5% in the 4th quarter. Strategic Planning Group LLC now owns 6,615 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $3,441,000 after purchasing an additional 286 shares during the period. Highland Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 10.0% in the fourth quarter. Highland Capital Management LLC now owns 33,979 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $17,677,000 after buying an additional 3,102 shares during the period. Summa Corp. grew its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 7.4% during the fourth quarter. Summa Corp. now owns 1,456 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $757,000 after buying an additional 100 shares in the last quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 37.9% in the 4th quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC now owns 267,602 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $139,215,000 after acquiring an additional 73,575 shares in the last quarter. Finally, VanderPol Investments L.L.C. boosted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. VanderPol Investments L.L.C. now owns 390 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $203,000 after acquiring an additional 28 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.23% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Monday, December 23rd. They issued a “sector perform” rating and a $605.00 price target for the company. Bank of America lowered their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $675.00 to $660.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 13th. Evercore ISI reduced their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $630.00 to $620.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 24th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $670.00 to $647.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 13th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $648.95.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Up 6.8 %

Shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock opened at $607.06 on Friday. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 12 month low of $493.30 and a 12 month high of $627.88. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $537.83 and a 200 day simple moving average of $570.33. The company has a quick ratio of 1.26, a current ratio of 1.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64. The stock has a market cap of $232.20 billion, a PE ratio of 38.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.89 and a beta of 0.76.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 30th. The medical research company reported $6.10 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.94 by $0.16. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 14.48% and a return on equity of 17.49%. Research analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.69 EPS for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 13th were issued a dividend of $0.39 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, December 13th. This represents a $1.56 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.26%. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio is presently 9.78%.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Friday, November 15th that authorizes the company to repurchase $4.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical research company to purchase up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are generally a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 9,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $552.86, for a total transaction of $4,975,740.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 14,608 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,076,178.88. This represents a 38.12 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders sold 29,000 shares of company stock worth $15,859,540 over the last ninety days. 0.34% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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.