NORTHSTAR ASSET MANAGEMENT Co LLC Decreases Position in Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR)

NORTHSTAR ASSET MANAGEMENT Co LLC reduced its position in shares of Danaher Co. (NYSE:DHR) by 1.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 38,995 shares of the conglomerate’s stock after selling 418 shares during the period. Danaher accounts for about 2.1% of NORTHSTAR ASSET MANAGEMENT Co LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 11th largest holding. NORTHSTAR ASSET MANAGEMENT Co LLC’s holdings in Danaher were worth $8,951,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Heck Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Danaher in the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Decker Retirement Planning Inc. purchased a new position in Danaher during the fourth quarter worth approximately $31,000. Golden State Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Danaher during the fourth quarter worth $31,000. Strategic Financial Concepts LLC purchased a new stake in Danaher in the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association of America acquired a new stake in shares of Danaher in the 3rd quarter worth $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 79.05% of the company’s stock.

Danaher Stock Down 1.5 %

Danaher stock opened at $206.92 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $149.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.19, a P/E/G ratio of 2.68 and a beta of 0.83. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $232.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $251.70. Danaher Co. has a twelve month low of $205.79 and a twelve month high of $281.70. The company has a current ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 29th. The conglomerate reported $2.14 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $2.14. Danaher had a return on equity of 10.82% and a net margin of 16.33%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.09 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Danaher Co. will post 7.67 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Danaher Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, January 31st. Shareholders of record on Friday, December 27th were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.52%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, December 27th. Danaher’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 20.45%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on DHR shares. Bank of America raised shares of Danaher from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $290.00 price objective for the company in a report on Friday, December 13th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of Danaher from $310.00 to $315.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 23rd. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Danaher from $275.00 to $240.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 30th. Scotiabank started coverage on Danaher in a research note on Monday, December 23rd. They set a “sector perform” rating and a $265.00 target price for the company. Finally, Guggenheim initiated coverage on Danaher in a research note on Thursday, December 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $275.00 price target on the stock. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fifteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $278.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Danaher

In other news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 5,700 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.13, for a total value of $1,277,541.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 20,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,534,149.90. This represents a 21.98 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 11.10% of the company’s stock.

Danaher Company Profile

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.