Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR) is Front Street Capital Management Inc.’s 8th Largest Position

Front Street Capital Management Inc. cut its position in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR) by 1.2% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 130,428 shares of the conglomerate’s stock after selling 1,522 shares during the period. Danaher accounts for 5.2% of Front Street Capital Management Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Front Street Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Danaher were worth $29,940,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Howard Capital Management Group LLC raised its holdings in Danaher by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter. Howard Capital Management Group LLC now owns 1,229 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $342,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. Tudor Financial Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Danaher in the third quarter valued at approximately $414,000. Anchor Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Danaher by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 6,039 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $1,679,000 after buying an additional 78 shares during the period. World Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Danaher by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter. World Investment Advisors LLC now owns 12,948 shares of the conglomerate’s stock valued at $3,600,000 after buying an additional 648 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arvest Bank Trust Division acquired a new stake in Danaher in the 3rd quarter valued at $254,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.05% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Danaher

In other news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.13, for a total transaction 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 represents a 21.98 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 11.10% of the company’s stock.

Danaher Stock Down 2.1 %

NYSE DHR opened at $186.71 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 1.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. Danaher Co. has a fifty-two week low of $171.00 and a fifty-two week high of $281.70. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $202.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $227.84. The stock has a market cap of $133.44 billion, a PE ratio of 35.36, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.86.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $2.14 earnings per share 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 quarter last year, the business posted $2.09 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Danaher Co. will post 7.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Danaher Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 28th will be given a $0.32 dividend. This is a positive change from Danaher’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 28th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.69%. Danaher’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 24.24%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have issued reports on DHR shares. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on shares of Danaher from $285.00 to $260.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 29th. Robert W. Baird set a $231.00 price objective on Danaher in a report on Wednesday. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Danaher from $280.00 to $240.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $277.00 price objective (down previously from $299.00) on shares of Danaher in a report on Thursday, January 30th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Danaher in a research report on Monday, April 7th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $274.55.

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.