Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC Acquires New Stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)

Safeguard Investment Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 422 shares of the medical research company’s stock, valued at approximately $220,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in TMO. Barrett & Company Inc. bought a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter worth $28,000. FPC Investment Advisory Inc. acquired a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Missouri Trust & Investment Co bought a new stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Pillar Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Endeavor Private Wealth Inc. bought a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the fourth quarter valued at about $30,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.23% of the company’s stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE TMO opened at $412.15 on Friday. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $390.50 and a fifty-two week high of $627.88. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $453.88 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $510.42. The company has a quick ratio of 1.29, a current ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59. The firm has a market cap of $155.58 billion, a PE ratio of 24.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.99 and a beta of 0.82.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 23rd. The medical research company reported $5.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.10 by $0.05. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 17.51% and a net margin of 14.78%. The business had revenue of $10.36 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $5.11 EPS. The business’s revenue was up .2% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts expect that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 23.28 earnings per share 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. Investors of record on Friday, March 14th were given a dividend of $0.43 per share. This is a boost from Thermo Fisher Scientific’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.39. The ex-dividend date was Friday, March 14th. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.42%. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.09%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently commented on TMO shares. Barclays reduced their price target on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $475.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 10th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $665.00 to $620.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $610.00 target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 23rd. UBS Group dropped their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $715.00 to $500.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 24th. Finally, Argus reduced their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $620.00 to $470.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, April 29th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Thermo Fisher Scientific presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $607.43.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Gianluca Pettiti sold 300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, April 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $429.93, for a total value of $128,979.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 23,167 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,960,188.31. This trade represents a 1.28% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 3,775 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 10th. The stock was 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 in the company, valued at $5,759,736.32. This represents a 25.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 14,075 shares of company stock valued at $7,305,942. Insiders own 0.33% of the company’s stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific 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.