Lazard Asset Management LLC Lowers Stock Position in Hologic, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOLX)

Lazard Asset Management LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Hologic, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOLX) by 3.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 90,231 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after selling 3,450 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Hologic were worth $6,504,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in HOLX. Venturi Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Hologic by 156.3% in the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 428 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $31,000 after acquiring an additional 261 shares in the last quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Hologic by 79.8% in the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 586 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $42,000 after purchasing an additional 260 shares in the last quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC grew its position in Hologic by 36.9% during the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 590 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 159 shares during the last quarter. Smithfield Trust Co increased its stake in Hologic by 160.0% during the 4th quarter. Smithfield Trust Co now owns 650 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $45,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC purchased a new position in Hologic in the fourth quarter worth about $60,000. 94.73% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Hologic Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ HOLX opened at $55.74 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a current ratio of 3.49, a quick ratio of 2.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $58.88 and a 200 day moving average of $67.68. Hologic, Inc. has a 12-month low of $51.90 and a 12-month high of $84.67.

Hologic (NASDAQ:HOLX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 1st. The medical equipment provider reported $1.03 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.02 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $1.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1 billion. Hologic had a return on equity of 19.72% and a net margin of 18.42%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 1.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.03 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Hologic, Inc. will post 4.28 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Hologic news, Director Martin D. Madaus purchased 5,445 shares of Hologic stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 7th. The shares were bought at an average price of $55.24 per share, for a total transaction of $300,781.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 5,445 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $300,781.80. This trade represents a ? increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.88% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Leerink Partners cut shares of Hologic from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and cut their price target for the company from $80.00 to $75.00 in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on Hologic from $77.00 to $65.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, May 5th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Hologic in a report on Friday, May 2nd. William Blair reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Hologic in a report on Thursday, February 6th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada decreased their target price on Hologic from $75.00 to $70.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, May 2nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $77.42.

Hologic Profile

Hologic, Inc develops, manufactures, and supplies diagnostics products, medical imaging systems, and surgical products for women's health through early detection and treatment. The company operates through four segments: Diagnostics, Breast Health, GYN Surgical, and Skeletal Health. It provides Aptima molecular diagnostic assays to detect the infectious microorganisms; Aptima viral load assays for Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus, and human cytomegalo virus; Aptima bacterial vaginosis and candida vaginitis assays for the diagnosis of vaginitis; Aptima SARS-CoV-2 and Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2 assays to detect SARS-CoV-2; ThinPrep System for cytology applications; and Rapid Fetal Fibronectin Test that assists physicians in assessing the risk of pre-term birth.