Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD) CFO Shawn Vadala Sells 2,240 Shares of Stock

Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. (NYSE:MTD) CFO Shawn Vadala sold 2,240 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,432.00, for a total transaction of $3,207,680.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 5,579 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,989,128. This represents a 28.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Mettler-Toledo International Stock Down 1.2%

Mettler-Toledo International stock opened at $1,420.36 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $28.46 billion, a PE ratio of 31.97, a P/E/G ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 159.45, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 1.12. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $1,257.36 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $1,273.39. Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. has a twelve month low of $1,023.05 and a twelve month high of $1,525.17.

Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD) last released its earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The medical instruments supplier reported $11.46 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $10.78 by $0.68. Mettler-Toledo International had a net margin of 21.91% and a negative return on equity of 1,212.14%. The company had revenue of $1.03 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $10.09 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 4.5% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. will post 47.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Mettler-Toledo International

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Mettler-Toledo International during the 4th quarter worth about $520,989,000. M&T Bank Corp lifted its stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International by 2,813.6% in the fourth quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 124,205 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $173,165,000 after buying an additional 119,942 shares during the period. Capital International Investors lifted its stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International by 12.7% in the fourth quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 969,067 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $1,351,064,000 after buying an additional 109,508 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE grew its position in Mettler-Toledo International by 60.9% during the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 207,286 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $261,429,000 after buying an additional 78,487 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its position in Mettler-Toledo International by 39,107.6% during the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 61,556 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $85,821,000 after buying an additional 61,399 shares in the last quarter. 95.07% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Mettler-Toledo International News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Mettler-Toledo International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst price-target increases: Stifel Nicolaus raised its price target to $1,600, while Wells Fargo lifted its target to $1,450. Barclays also indicated that the stock is expected to rise, supporting the view that analysts see additional upside. Stifel Nicolaus Increases Mettler-Toledo International Price Target Wells Fargo Boosts Mettler-Toledo International Price Target Barclays Analyst Expects Mettler-Toledo Stock to Rise
• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley raised its target: Morgan Stanley increased its target from $1,275 to $1,450, although it maintained an “equal weight” rating, signaling limited conviction relative to a bullish recommendation. Morgan Stanley Raises Mettler-Toledo Price Target
• Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying: Baron Capital added to its MTD position following a sharp decline, suggesting at least one investment manager viewed the weakness as an opportunity. Baron Capital Added to Mettler-Toledo
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple insider sales: CFO Shawn Vadala sold 2,240 shares for approximately $3.21 million, reducing his holdings by 28.65%. Director Thomas P. Salice sold 415 shares worth about $599,500, while insider Gerry Keller sold 240 shares worth roughly $342,500. The transactions reduce insider ownership and may weigh on sentiment, although the filings do not establish the reasons for the sales.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on MTD shares. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,275.00 to $1,450.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Tuesday. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,400.00 to $1,580.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,413.00 to $1,200.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 11th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Mettler-Toledo International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 16th. Finally, Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,700.00 to $1,550.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 8th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $1,461.27.

About Mettler-Toledo International

Mettler-Toledo International Inc is a global manufacturer and distributor of precision instruments and services for laboratory, industrial and food retail applications. The company’s product portfolio includes laboratory balances and analytical instruments, industrial weighing systems, process analytics and sensors, metal detection and x-ray inspection equipment, checkweighers, and a range of automated inspection and data-management solutions. Mettler-Toledo also provides software, calibration and lifecycle services intended to support compliance, quality control and operational efficiency across customer facilities.

The company serves a broad set of end markets including pharmaceutical and biotech laboratories, chemical and food processors, logistics and manufacturing operations, and retail environments where accurate weighing and inspection are critical.