Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) Short Interest Down 18.8% in March

Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totalling 235,100 shares, a decline of 18.8% from the March 15th total of 289,400 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 114,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.1 days. Currently, 1.6% of the company’s shares are short sold.

Chemed Stock Down 0.1 %

NYSE CHE traded down $0.86 on Friday, reaching $580.52. The company had a trading volume of 110,655 shares, compared to its average volume of 97,957. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.48 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.33, a P/E/G ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.49. The company’s fifty day moving average is $586.31 and its 200 day moving average is $567.57. Chemed has a 52-week low of $512.12 and a 52-week high of $623.61.

Chemed Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Shareholders of record on Monday, February 24th were paid a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, February 24th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.34%. Chemed’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.05%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

CHE has been the topic of several recent research reports. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on Chemed from $633.00 to $667.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 14th. StockNews.com raised shares of Chemed from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, March 7th.

Insider Activity at Chemed

In other Chemed news, CEO Kevin J. Mcnamara sold 1,000 shares of Chemed stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $615.33, for a total value of $615,330.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 101,679 shares in the company, valued at approximately $62,566,139.07. The trade was a 0.97 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 3.32% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Chemed

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. UMB Bank n.a. raised its stake in shares of Chemed by 300.0% during the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 52 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Atala Financial Inc bought a new stake in shares of Chemed in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC grew its holdings in Chemed by 64.7% during the fourth quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 56 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. Whipplewood Advisors LLC increased its position in Chemed by 54.5% in the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 51 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after buying an additional 18 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Trust Co. of Vermont bought a new stake in shares of Chemed in the fourth quarter valued at $34,000. 95.85% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Chemed Company Profile

Chemed Corporation provides hospice and palliative care services to patients through a network of physicians, registered nurses, home health aides, social workers, clergy, and volunteers primarily in the United States. The company operates in VITAS and Roto-Rooter segments. It offers plumbing, drain cleaning, excavation, water restoration, and other related services to residential and commercial customers through company-owned branches, independent contractors, and franchisees.