Chemed (NYSE:CHE) Stock Rating Lowered by StockNews.com

StockNews.com lowered shares of Chemed (NYSE:CHE) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Thursday.

Separately, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on Chemed from $697.00 to $633.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th.

Chemed Price Performance

Chemed stock opened at $586.11 on Thursday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $543.86 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $563.11. The firm has a market cap of $8.82 billion, a PE ratio of 29.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.48. Chemed has a one year low of $512.12 and a one year high of $654.62.

Chemed Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th will be paid a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.34%. Chemed’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 10.11%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Chemed news, VP Brian C. Judkins purchased 145 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 30th. The stock was bought at an average price of $519.50 per share, with a total value of $75,327.50. Following the acquisition, the vice president now owns 1,678 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $871,721. This represents a 9.46 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 3.32% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Chemed

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in shares of Chemed by 300.0% in the fourth quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 52 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Atala Financial Inc acquired a new position in Chemed during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC lifted its stake in Chemed by 64.7% in the 4th 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 last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new stake in Chemed in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $34,000. Finally, Tortoise Investment Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Chemed by 77.3% during the fourth quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 78 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. 95.85% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Chemed

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.