Chemed (NYSE:CHE) Upgraded by StockNews.com to “Buy” Rating

StockNews.com upgraded shares of Chemed (NYSE:CHE) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Friday morning.

Chemed Stock Up 0.3 %

CHE opened at $595.86 on Friday. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $552.41 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $563.97. Chemed has a 52 week low of $512.12 and a 52 week high of $654.62. The company has a market capitalization of $8.72 billion, a PE ratio of 30.11, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.43.

Chemed Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 14th. Investors of record on Monday, February 24th will be issued a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.34%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, February 24th. Chemed’s payout ratio is 10.05%.

Insider Activity at Chemed

In other Chemed news, VP Brian C. Judkins purchased 145 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 30th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $519.50 per share, with a total value of $75,327.50. Following the acquisition, the vice president now owns 1,678 shares in the company, valued at approximately $871,721. The trade was a 9.46 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Kevin J. Mcnamara sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $593.67, for a total transaction of $1,187,340.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 102,679 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $60,957,441.93. The trade was a 1.91 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 3.32% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Chemed

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. UMB Bank n.a. raised its position in Chemed by 300.0% in the 4th quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 52 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 39 shares during the period. Atala Financial Inc purchased a new stake in Chemed in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC raised its position in Chemed by 64.7% in the 4th quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 56 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the period. Trust Co. of Vermont purchased a new stake in Chemed in the 4th quarter worth about $34,000. Finally, Tortoise Investment Management LLC raised its position in Chemed by 77.3% in the 4th quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 78 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares during the period. 95.85% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.