Compass Capital Management Inc. Increases Stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Compass Capital Management Inc. has enhanced its investment in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) by 6.6% during the fourth quarter, as reported in its latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This move has brought the fund's total holdings in the medical research company to 108,875 shares, following the purchase of an additional 6,738 shares during this period.

As of the latest report, Thermo Fisher Scientific constitutes approximately 3.7% of Compass Capital Management's overall portfolio, ranking it as the 18th largest holding within the fund. The valuation of Compass Capital Management's shares in Thermo Fisher Scientific reached around $56.64 million based on its recent disclosures.

Investments from Other Firms

Several other institutional investors have also taken steps to adjust their positions in Thermo Fisher Scientific. For example, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in the company by 1.7% during the third quarter, now owning approximately 7.66 million shares valued at around $4.72 billion after acquiring an extra 127,564 shares. Similarly, Coldstream Capital Management Inc. boosted its position by 11.4%, holding 9,705 shares worth about $5.97 million after purchasing 995 additional shares.

Greenwood Gearhart Inc. also raised its stake by 9.8% during the same quarter, now owning 20,579 shares valued at $12.73 million after a purchase of 1,837 shares. Additionally, Nordea Investment Management AB upped its investment by a significant 23.6%, bringing their total to 55,452 shares valued at approximately $28.87 million post-purchase of 10,606 shares. Likewise, S.E.E.D. Planning Group LLC increased its stake by 6.2% with a total of 10,626 shares now valued at $5.53 million after an additional acquisition of 618 shares.

Overall, institutional investors and hedge funds possess a substantial 89.23% ownership of Thermo Fisher Scientific's stock.

Stock Performance Overview

As of Tuesday, Thermo Fisher Scientific shares opened at $593.38. The company's stock has seen a low point of $493.30 and a high of $627.88 over the past year. Financial metrics include a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.59, a quick ratio of 1.29, and a current ratio of 1.66, with a market capitalization standing at approximately $226.97 billion. Its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 35.90, and the price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio is noted at 4.06, with beta measured at 0.77.

Earnings Report and Dividends

Thermo Fisher Scientific reported its earnings on January 30th, revealing earnings per share (EPS) of $6.10, exceeding analysts' expectations of $5.94 by $0.16. The company showcased a return on equity of 17.51% alongside a net margin of 14.78%. Analysts are predicting that for the current fiscal year, Thermo Fisher Scientific could achieve earnings per share of 23.29.

Moreover, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39, paid on January 15th, with the annualized dividend amounting to $1.56, indicating a dividend yield of 0.26%. The dividend payout ratio stands at 9.44% as noted in the latest filings.

Stock Buyback and Analyst Ratings

In a recent announcement, Thermo Fisher Scientific's board of directors approved a stock repurchase plan allowing the company to buy back $4.00 billion worth of its shares, which represents up to 2% of its outstanding stock on the market.

Numerous analysts have provided insights into TMO shares. Citigroup raised its target price from $600 to $650 with a "neutral" rating. Meanwhile, Bank of America revised their target from $675 down to $660, maintaining a "buy" rating. On the other hand, Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded their rating to "outperform" with a price target of $630. Other analysts from TD Cowen and Barclays have made similar adjustments to their target prices, reflecting the stock's potential in current market conditions. The consensus rating remains at "Moderate Buy" according to MarketBeat data, with a target price average of $658.00.

Insider Trading Activities

In insider news, CEO Marc N. Casper sold 10,000 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific on November 6th at an average price of $558.12. The total transaction was around $5.58 million, and following this sale, he retains 33,608 shares valued at approximately $18.76 million. Over the last three months, insiders have sold a total of 29,000 shares amounting to $15.86 million, while corporate insiders hold 0.34% of the stock.

Company Overview

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is a leading provider of life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products, serving markets in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and beyond. The company’s offerings include reagents, instruments, and consumables aimed at biological and medical research, drug and vaccine production, and infection diagnosis.

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