Fisher Asset Management LLC Grows Holdings in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX)

Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX) by 21.6% during the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 5,800,912 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after buying an additional 1,028,977 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Boston Scientific were worth $518,138,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Adero Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 3.3% in the 4th quarter. Adero Partners LLC now owns 3,737 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $334,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. Grove Bank & Trust lifted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 4.4% in the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 2,923 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $261,000 after purchasing an additional 122 shares in the last quarter. PFG Investments LLC lifted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 8,113 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $725,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares in the last quarter. Stonegate Investment Group LLC lifted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Stonegate Investment Group LLC now owns 7,827 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $699,000 after purchasing an additional 126 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Ashton Thomas Securities LLC lifted its holdings in Boston Scientific by 1.3% in the 3rd quarter. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC now owns 9,968 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $835,000 after purchasing an additional 129 shares in the last quarter. 89.07% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Boston Scientific Stock Up 3.2 %

Shares of NYSE:BSX opened at $104.02 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.02, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41. Boston Scientific Co. has a 52-week low of $65.52 and a 52-week high of $107.17. The company has a 50 day moving average of $99.28 and a two-hundred day moving average of $90.22. The company has a market capitalization of $153.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 83.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.80.

Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical equipment provider reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.05. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 11.07% and a return on equity of 17.80%. As a group, analysts forecast that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.85 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Boston Scientific news, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.78, for a total value of $633,916.74. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 29,308 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,660,580.24. This trade represents a 19.24 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP John Bradley Sorenson sold 1,201 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $106.31, for a total transaction of $127,678.31. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 25,443 shares in the company, valued at $2,704,845.33. This represents a 4.51 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 144,305 shares of company stock worth $14,954,985. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

BSX has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $115.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Raymond James increased their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $119.00 to $122.00 and gave the stock a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $105.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 7th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $100.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $105.00 to $116.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, February 6th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, twenty-two have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $108.91.

Boston Scientific Company Profile

Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system.