Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) Hits New 52-Week High – Should You Buy?

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday. The stock traded as high as $712.17 and last traded at $696.63, with a volume of 252,012 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $698.34.

Key Headlines Impacting Thermo Fisher Scientific

Here are the key news stories impacting Thermo Fisher Scientific this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The board authorized up to $5 billion in share repurchases, which could support per-share earnings and signal confidence in the company’s prospects. The authorization permits open-market or negotiated purchases but does not require Thermo Fisher to buy shares on a set schedule. Article
• Positive Sentiment: Thermo Fisher introduced value-priced AmpSure qPCR master mixes, positioning the products for labs seeking reliable performance while managing budgets. The launch may support sales, though its near-term financial impact is unclear. Article
• Positive Sentiment: The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.47 per share, payable January 15, 2027, to shareholders of record December 15. That equals $1.88 annually, or a yield of about 0.3%. Article
• Neutral Sentiment: A market report said TMO shares fell Thursday, although they outperformed the broader market. The report did not identify a specific company-related reason for the decline. Article

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Leerink Partners increased their price target on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific from $600.00 to $620.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company cut Thermo Fisher Scientific from an “overweight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 9th. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. HSBC upgraded Thermo Fisher Scientific from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and lifted their price target for the company from $660.00 to $690.00 in a research note on Tuesday, September 1st. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $580.00 to $730.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-three have issued a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $683.64.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Down 4.1%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71, a current ratio of 1.81 and a quick ratio of 1.41. The company has a market capitalization of $250.94 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.72, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.88 and a beta of 0.84. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $659.74 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $554.40.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 21st. The medical research company reported $6.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.40 by $0.28. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 17.33% and a net margin of 14.94%. The business had revenue of $12.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $11.95 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $5.79 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 9.1% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts predict that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 25.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 15th will be given a $0.47 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 15th. This represents a $1.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.3%. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 9.92%.

Insider Transactions at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, VP Lisa Britt sold 11,440 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $613.12, for a total value of $7,014,092.80. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 14,784 shares in the company, valued at $9,064,366.08. The trade was a 43.62% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Michael Shafer sold 25,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $600.00, for a total transaction of $15,300,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 20,994 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,596,400. The trade was a 54.85% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold 50,046 shares of company stock valued at $30,779,192 in the last 90 days. 0.33% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC raised its holdings in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 9.7% in the third quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 140,228 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $91,500,000 after buying an additional 12,414 shares during the last quarter. Leelyn Smith LLC grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Leelyn Smith LLC now owns 9,789 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $6,608,000 after acquiring an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 37,831 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $25,538,000 after acquiring an additional 137 shares during the last quarter. Mader & Shannon Wealth Management Inc. increased its position in Thermo Fisher Scientific by 1.7% in the 3rd quarter. Mader & Shannon Wealth Management Inc. now owns 18,775 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $12,674,000 after acquiring an additional 316 shares in the last quarter. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 3,023.3% in the third quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 170,000 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $114,758,000 after acquiring an additional 164,557 shares during the last quarter. 89.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific develops and supplies products and services used in scientific research, clinical diagnostics, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology manufacturing. Its offerings include laboratory instruments, reagents and consumables, analytical equipment, diagnostic tests, and services that support drug development and clinical research.

The company operates through businesses focused on life sciences, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services.