Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. Has $16.23 Million Stake in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)

Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc. trimmed its position in shares of Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) by 11.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 166,782 shares of the company’s stock after selling 21,274 shares during the period. Novartis makes up approximately 2.3% of Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest position. Wilkins Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Novartis were worth $16,230,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of NVS. Human Investing LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Union Bancaire Privee UBP SA acquired a new stake in Novartis during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the third quarter worth about $28,000. Kestra Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the fourth quarter worth about $47,000. Finally, Clearstead Trust LLC acquired a new stake in Novartis during the fourth quarter worth about $51,000. 13.12% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently issued reports on NVS. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised shares of Novartis from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley began coverage on shares of Novartis in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. They set an “underweight” rating on the stock. HSBC lowered shares of Novartis from a “hold” rating to a “reduce” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 4th. StockNews.com raised shares of Novartis from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 8th. Finally, UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Novartis in a report on Thursday, February 13th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, one has issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Novartis has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $123.38.

Novartis Trading Down 0.6 %

NVS opened at $111.51 on Thursday. Novartis AG has a fifty-two week low of $92.35 and a fifty-two week high of $120.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.04 and a quick ratio of 0.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $227.92 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.96, a PEG ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.53. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $106.14 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $107.50.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS) last posted its earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The company reported $1.98 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.80 by $0.18. Novartis had a net margin of 23.56% and a return on equity of 37.24%. As a group, research analysts predict that Novartis AG will post 8.45 earnings per share for the current year.

Novartis Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 12th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 12th were given a $3.8695 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 12th. Novartis’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 42.69%.

Novartis Profile

Novartis AG engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.