Anchor Capital Advisors LLC Lowers Position in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX)

Anchor Capital Advisors LLC decreased its position in Boston Scientific Co. (NYSE:BSX) by 4.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,111,185 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock after selling 56,534 shares during the period. Boston Scientific comprises 1.7% of Anchor Capital Advisors LLC’s portfolio, making the stock its 14th largest holding. Anchor Capital Advisors LLC owned 0.08% of Boston Scientific worth $64,238,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC purchased a new stake in Boston Scientific during the fourth quarter worth about $28,000. Motco raised its position in Boston Scientific by 136.3% during the third quarter. Motco now owns 645 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 372 shares during the last quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC raised its position in Boston Scientific by 58.0% during the fourth quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 586 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Asset Dedication LLC raised its position in Boston Scientific by 42.6% during the third quarter. Asset Dedication LLC now owns 786 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 235 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CNB Bank acquired a new position in Boston Scientific during the third quarter worth about $42,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.07% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on BSX shares. StockNews.com cut shares of Boston Scientific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 16th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $80.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $72.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $78.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price objective on shares of Boston Scientific from $79.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Boston Scientific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $75.09.

Boston Scientific Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:BSX traded down $0.67 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $72.50. 9,460,709 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,623,147. Boston Scientific Co. has a 52 week low of $48.35 and a 52 week high of $74.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.44, a quick ratio of 0.82 and a current ratio of 1.32. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $67.82 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $60.63. The company has a market cap of $106.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 61.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.78.

Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical equipment provider reported $0.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.51 by $0.04. Boston Scientific had a net margin of 12.06% and a return on equity of 16.63%. The company had revenue of $3.73 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.59 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.45 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Boston Scientific Co. will post 2.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $66.89, for a total transaction of $467,092.87. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 56,508 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,779,820.12. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, Director Edward J. Ludwig sold 7,000 shares of Boston Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.03, for a total value of $455,210.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 41,374 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,690,551.22. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Wendy Carruthers sold 6,983 shares of Boston Scientific stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.89, for a total transaction of $467,092.87. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,508 shares in the company, valued at $3,779,820.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 60,797 shares of company stock worth $4,138,090. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for use in various interventional medical specialties worldwide. It operates through two segments, MedSurg and Cardiovascular. The company offers devices to diagnose and treat gastrointestinal and pulmonary conditions, such as resolution clips, biliary stent systems, stents and electrocautery enhanced delivery systems, direct visualization systems, digital catheters, and single-use duodenoscopes; devices to treat urological conditions, including ureteral stents, catheters, baskets, guidewires, sheaths, balloons, single-use digital flexible ureteroscopes, holmium laser systems, artificial urinary sphincter, laser system, fiber, and hydrogel systems; and devices to treat neurological movement disorders and manage chronic pain, such as spinal cord stimulator system, proprietary programming software, radiofrequency generator, indirect decompression systems, practice optimization tools, and deep brain stimulation system.