Danaher (NYSE:DHR) Downgraded by StockNews.com to Hold

StockNews.com lowered shares of Danaher (NYSE:DHR) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Tuesday.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. HSBC raised shares of Danaher from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $250.00 to $280.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 17th. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Danaher in a research note on Monday, June 3rd. They issued a buy rating and a $295.00 target price on the stock. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on Danaher from $259.00 to $271.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Bank of America boosted their price target on Danaher from $258.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, April 24th. Finally, Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of Danaher from $280.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 24th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Danaher presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $269.29.

Danaher Price Performance

Shares of DHR opened at $254.08 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31, a current ratio of 1.85 and a quick ratio of 1.51. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $255.07 and its 200-day moving average price is $246.14. Danaher has a 1-year low of $182.09 and a 1-year high of $269.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $188.19 billion, a PE ratio of 43.06, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.90 and a beta of 0.85.

Danaher (NYSE:DHR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 23rd. The conglomerate reported $1.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.72 by $0.20. Danaher had a return on equity of 11.43% and a net margin of 16.78%. The business had revenue of $5.80 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.62 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $2.36 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that Danaher will post 7.63 EPS for the current year.

Danaher Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, July 26th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 28th will be paid a $0.27 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, June 28th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.43%. Danaher’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.31%.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Rainer Blair sold 47,175 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $249.22, for a total value of $11,756,953.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 115,995 shares in the company, valued at $28,908,273.90. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, SVP Brian W. Ellis sold 4,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.01, for a total transaction of $1,000,040.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 29,830 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,457,798.30. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Rainer Blair sold 47,175 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $249.22, for a total value of $11,756,953.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 115,995 shares in the company, valued at approximately $28,908,273.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 148,783 shares of company stock valued at $37,536,717. 10.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Danaher

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of DHR. Cape Investment Advisory Inc. purchased a new stake in Danaher during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Tsfg LLC increased its stake in Danaher by 733.3% during the 1st quarter. Tsfg LLC now owns 100 shares of the conglomerate’s stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 88 shares during the period. BKM Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Danaher during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Wetzel Investment Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Danaher in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Danaher in the first quarter worth $30,000. 79.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.