Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) Shares Acquired by Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc.

Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Chemed Co. (NYSE:CHE) by 1.0% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 119,163 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,173 shares during the quarter. Chemed makes up approximately 2.3% of Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 12th largest position. Schwartz Investment Counsel Inc.’s holdings in Chemed were worth $63,133,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. EP Wealth Advisors LLC grew its position in shares of Chemed by 1.9% during the third quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,354 shares of the company’s stock worth $814,000 after acquiring an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC increased its stake in shares of Chemed by 4.1% in the third quarter. Ballentine Partners LLC now owns 655 shares of the company’s stock valued at $394,000 after purchasing an additional 26 shares during the period. First Heartland Consultants Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Chemed by 7.2% during the third quarter. First Heartland Consultants Inc. now owns 508 shares of the company’s stock valued at $305,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the last quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. boosted its position in shares of Chemed by 4.5% during the third quarter. First Trust Direct Indexing L.P. now owns 887 shares of the company’s stock worth $533,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Finally, KBC Group NV grew its holdings in Chemed by 11.5% in the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 378 shares of the company’s stock worth $227,000 after buying an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. 95.85% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

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

Chemed Trading Up 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE CHE opened at $553.94 on Wednesday. Chemed Co. has a twelve month low of $512.12 and a twelve month high of $654.62. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $542.65 and a two-hundred day moving average of $564.84. The company has a market capitalization of $8.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.99, a PEG ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.48.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on CHE shares. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price target 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 raised shares of Chemed from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, November 30th.

Chemed Profile

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.