Oxford Asset Management LLP Purchases Shares of 393 Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE)

Oxford Asset Management LLP acquired a new position in shares of Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 393 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $230,000.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of Chemed during the fourth quarter valued at about $92,359,000. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA raised its stake in shares of Chemed by 121.5% in the fourth quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 203,096 shares of the company’s stock worth $118,760,000 after purchasing an additional 111,399 shares during the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Chemed in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $430,970,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in Chemed by 19.7% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 188,679 shares of the company’s stock worth $110,330,000 after buying an additional 31,036 shares in the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC raised its position in Chemed by 15.4% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 214,994 shares of the company’s stock valued at $111,732,000 after buying an additional 28,682 shares during the last quarter. 95.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Chemed Stock Up 0.1 %

NYSE CHE traded up $0.70 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $556.02. 20,367 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 79,559. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.86, a P/E/G ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.46. Chemed Co. has a 1 year low of $492.84 and a 1 year high of $654.62. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $602.69 and its 200-day simple moving average is $595.21.

Chemed (NYSE:CHE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th. The company reported $4.68 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $5.09 by ($0.41). The company had revenue of $589.23 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $587.18 million. Chemed had a return on equity of 30.52% and a net margin of 12.36%. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Chemed Co. will post 21.72 earnings per share for the current year.

Chemed Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, June 18th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 30th will be given a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 30th. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.29%. Chemed’s dividend payout ratio is presently 8.61%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Chemed from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, May 4th. Oppenheimer lifted their target price on shares of Chemed from $625.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on Chemed from $712.00 to $697.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday.

Insider Transactions at Chemed

In related news, VP Brian C. Judkins sold 11,158 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $645.00, for a total value of $7,196,910.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 1,422 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $917,190. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, EVP Spencer S. Lee sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $641.65, for a total value of $1,283,300.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 20,760 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $13,320,654. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Brian C. Judkins sold 11,158 shares of Chemed stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $645.00, for a total value of $7,196,910.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 1,422 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $917,190. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 19,808 shares of company stock worth $12,454,691 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 3.32% of the company’s stock.

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.