Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) Receives Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from Brokerages

Shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-one brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $607.43.

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $475.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 10th. Evercore ISI decreased their price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $585.00 to $500.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 24th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $715.00 to $500.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 24th. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $650.00 to $570.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $603.00 to $573.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 24th.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE TMO opened at $428.88 on Wednesday. Thermo Fisher Scientific has a fifty-two week low of $401.75 and a fifty-two week high of $627.88. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $460.85 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $513.11. The company has a market capitalization of $161.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.95, a P/E/G ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 1.66.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The medical research company reported $5.15 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.10 by $0.05. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a net margin of 14.78% and a return on equity of 17.51%. The business had revenue of $10.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $5.11 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that Thermo Fisher Scientific will post 23.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 14th were paid a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, March 14th. This is a boost from Thermo Fisher Scientific’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.40%. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio is 10.09%.

Insider Transactions at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $429.93, for a total transaction of $128,979.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,167 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $9,960,188.31. This trade represents a 1.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 3,775 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, March 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $532.52, for a total transaction of $2,010,263.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,816 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $5,759,736.32. The trade was a 25.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 14,075 shares of company stock valued at $7,305,942 over the last three months. Corporate insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Thermo Fisher Scientific

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.7% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 33,479,957 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $16,659,627,000 after purchasing an additional 230,382 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 1.1% during the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 9,430,120 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $4,905,812,000 after purchasing an additional 104,343 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 2.6% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 7,857,385 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $4,075,540,000 after purchasing an additional 197,442 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the fourth quarter valued at $3,149,754,000. Finally, Northern Trust Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 13.2% in the 4th quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 3,910,015 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $2,034,107,000 after acquiring an additional 455,004 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.23% 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.