First Financial Bank Trust Division Has $3.20 Million Stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

First Financial Bank Trust Division decreased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 3.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,151 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 196 shares during the period. First Financial Bank Trust Division’s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $3,200,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Legacy Wealth Management LLC MS boosted its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.0% during the 3rd quarter. Legacy Wealth Management LLC MS now owns 4,308 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $2,665,000 after purchasing an additional 244 shares in the last quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama boosted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 147.2% during the 3rd quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 208,155 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $128,758,000 after buying an additional 123,952 shares in the last quarter. Oddo BHF Asset Management Sas acquired a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $16,393,000. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. lifted its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 6.3% during the 3rd quarter. Inspire Trust Co. N.A. now owns 3,135 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $1,939,000 after acquiring an additional 185 shares during the period. Finally, Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 796.0% in the third quarter. Beaird Harris Wealth Management LLC now owns 224 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $139,000 after purchasing an additional 199 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.23% of the company’s stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance

Shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock traded up $2.34 on Thursday, reaching $522.57. 1,809,267 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,544,040. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 52 week low of $493.30 and a 52 week high of $627.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.63 and a quick ratio of 1.26. The company has a 50 day moving average of $531.86 and a 200 day moving average of $569.25. The firm has a market capitalization of $199.88 billion, a PE ratio of 32.76, a PEG ratio of 3.54 and a beta of 0.77.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The medical research company reported $5.28 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.25 by $0.03. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 17.49% and a net margin of 14.48%. The firm had revenue of $10.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.63 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $5.69 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts forecast that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.68 earnings per share for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Investors of record on Friday, December 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.39 per share. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.30%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, December 13th. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s payout ratio is currently 9.78%.

Thermo Fisher Scientific declared that its Board of Directors has approved a share buyback program 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 buy up to 2% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on TMO shares. UBS Group raised shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, September 16th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $655.00 to $680.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, September 20th. Evercore ISI cut their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $630.00 to $620.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 24th. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $610.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Finally, Stephens began coverage on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a report on Tuesday, October 1st. They set an “overweight” rating and a $680.00 price objective for the company. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, sixteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $650.05.

Insider Activity at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction on Friday, October 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $560.16, for a total transaction of $168,048.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 16,663 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,333,946.08. This trade represents a 1.77 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 2,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $560.16, for a total value of $1,120,320.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 12,736 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,134,197.76. This trade represents a 13.57 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 47,150 shares of company stock worth $25,954,465. Corporate insiders own 0.34% of the company’s stock.

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.