Fenimore Asset Management Inc Has $15.42 Million Stake in Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE)

Fenimore Asset Management Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) by 7.3% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 29,105 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 1,968 shares during the period. Fenimore Asset Management Inc’s holdings in Chemed were worth $15,420,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of CHE. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its holdings in shares of Chemed by 300.0% during the 4th 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 period. Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new position in Chemed in the fourth quarter worth about $34,000. American National Bank & Trust bought a new position in Chemed during the third quarter worth about $61,000. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Chemed by 60.5% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 138 shares of the company’s stock valued at $83,000 after purchasing an additional 52 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP grew its stake in shares of Chemed by 721.7% in the 2nd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 189 shares of the company’s stock valued at $103,000 after purchasing an additional 166 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.85% of the company’s stock.

Chemed Stock Up 1.7 %

NYSE:CHE opened at $550.99 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $8.29 billion, a PE ratio of 27.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.47. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $544.24 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $562.98. Chemed Co. has a 12 month low of $512.12 and a 12 month high of $654.62.

Chemed (NYSE:CHE) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The company reported $5.64 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $5.76 by ($0.12). Chemed had a return on equity of 27.86% and a net margin of 12.69%. The business had revenue of $606.18 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $612.22 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $5.32 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 7.4% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Chemed Co. will post 21.43 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Chemed Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Stockholders of record on Monday, November 18th were paid a $0.50 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, November 18th. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.36%. Chemed’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.11%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

CHE has been the subject of several analyst reports. Royal Bank of Canada cut their target price on Chemed from $697.00 to $633.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. StockNews.com upgraded Chemed from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 30th.

Insider Activity at Chemed

In related news, VP Brian C. Judkins purchased 145 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 30th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $519.50 per share, with a total value of $75,327.50. Following the completion of the acquisition, the vice president now directly owns 1,678 shares in the company, valued at approximately $871,721. This trade represents a 9.46 % increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Spencer S. Lee sold 732 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $575.62, for a total value of $421,353.84. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 18,287 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,526,362.94. This represents a 3.85 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 3.32% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

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.