Hershey Financial Advisers LLC Acquires Shares in Laboratory Co. of America Holdings

Hershey Financial Advisers LLC has recently acquired a new stake in Laboratory Co. of America Holdings (NYSE:LH) during the fourth quarter. This information was disclosed in its latest filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased a total of 7,335 shares in this medical research company, which amounts to an investment of about $1,682,000. Now, Laboratory Co. of America represents roughly 1.5% of Hershey Financial Advisers LLC's overall holdings, marking it as the fund's 26th largest investment.

During this same period, several other institutional investors also traded shares of Laboratory Co. of America. For instance, Private Trust Co. NA raised its holdings by 3.2% in the third quarter and now owns 1,342 shares valued at $300,000 after purchasing an extra 41 shares. Similarly, Empowered Funds LLC increased its position by 0.5%, owning 8,025 shares worth $1,840,000 after adding 43 shares. SP Asset Management LLC also increased its stake by 0.3%, bringing its total to 15,186 shares valued at $3,483,000, while Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. increased its position by 0.4%. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its stake by 0.6%, now owning 7,194 shares worth $1,650,000.

It is notable that approximately 95.94% of Laboratory Co. of America's stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insights from Wall Street Analysts

Laboratory Co. of America has recently been the focus of multiple research reports. UBS Group downgraded its target price for the company from $293.00 to $286.00, maintaining a "buy" rating. In contrast, Citigroup raised its rating from "neutral" to "buy," and increased its target price from $250.00 to $300.00. Additionally, Bank of America raised the target price from $262.00 to $271.00, reaffirming a "buy" stance. Conversely, Barclays lowered its target price from $271.00 to $260.00, maintaining an "equal weight" rating. Jefferies Financial Group raised its target from $275.00 to $290.00 with a "buy" rating. As per data from MarketBeat.com, the consensus rating for the company is a "Moderate Buy," with a consensus price target of $268.38.

Recent Stock Performance

On Monday, Laboratory Co. of America shares opened at $233.97. The company has registered a 52-week range, with a low of $191.97 and a high of $258.59. Currently, the market capitalization stands at $19.58 billion, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 26.53 and a PEG ratio of 1.71. The company's debt-to-equity ratio is 0.67, and it maintains a current ratio of 1.44 and a quick ratio of 1.30.

In its latest quarterly earnings report on February 6th, Laboratory Co. of America announced earnings per share (EPS) of $3.45, exceeding analysts' predictions of $3.40 by a margin of $0.05. The firm achieved a return on equity of 15.29% and a net margin of 5.73%. Analysts forecast that the company will post an EPS of 16.01 for the current fiscal year.

Dividend Information

On a related note, the company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.72 per share, paid on March 12th to shareholders on record as of February 27th. This annualizes to a total of $2.88, offering a yield of 1.23%. Furthermore, the dividend payout ratio (DPR) currently stands at 32.65%.

Insider Transactions

In insider trading activities, COO Mark S. Schroeder sold 5,339 shares on February 28th for an average price of $249.23, totaling approximately $1,330,638.97. Following this sale, he retains 4,960 shares valued at about $1,236,180.80, indicating a 51.84% reduction in his ownership. Additionally, Director Kerrii B. Anderson sold 500 shares on March 5th at an average price of $255.63, amounting to $127,815.00. After this transaction, Anderson now holds 13,166 shares valued at approximately $3,365,624.58, reflecting a 3.66% decrease in ownership. Over the past 90 days, insiders have sold a total of 14,500 shares valued at $3,577,572, with only 0.85% of the stocks held by insiders.

Company Overview

Laboratory Co. of America Holdings is a prominent player in the medical testing industry. Established on April 16, 2024, the company's headquarters is located in Burlington, NC. The firm specializes in various medical testing services, contributing significantly to the healthcare sector.

stocks, investment, financial, analysis, market