Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD) Price Target Raised to $1,450.00

Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD) had its price objective lifted by Wells Fargo & Company from $1,225.00 to $1,450.00 in a research report released on Monday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have an equal weight rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on MTD. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Mettler-Toledo International from $1,413.00 to $1,200.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Wolfe Research began coverage on Mettler-Toledo International in a research note on Tuesday, June 2nd. They issued a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,475.00 to $1,275.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on Mettler-Toledo International from $1,400.00 to $1,600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Mettler-Toledo International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, May 16th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $1,461.27.

Mettler-Toledo International Stock Down 1.2%

Shares of NYSE:MTD opened at $1,420.36 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $1,257.36 and its 200 day moving average price is $1,273.39. The stock has a market cap of $28.46 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.95 and a beta of 1.23. Mettler-Toledo International has a fifty-two week low of $1,023.05 and a fifty-two week high of $1,525.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 159.45.

Mettler-Toledo International (NYSE:MTD) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 31st. The medical instruments supplier reported $11.46 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 analysts’ expectations of $1.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $10.09 EPS. The firm’s revenue was up 4.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Mettler-Toledo International will post 47.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Gerry Keller sold 240 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,427.14, for a total value of $342,513.60. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 259 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $369,629.26. The trade was a 48.10% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Thomas P. Salice sold 415 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,444.62, for a total transaction of $599,517.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 292 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $421,829.04. This represents a 58.70% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 2,895 shares of company stock worth $4,149,711 in the last ninety days. 0.71% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in MTD. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Mettler-Toledo International in the 4th quarter valued at $520,989,000. M&T Bank Corp increased its stake in 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 purchasing an additional 119,942 shares during the period. Capital International Investors raised its holdings 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 last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of 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 during the period. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of 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 during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 95.07% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Mettler-Toledo International

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.

Mettler-Toledo International Company Profile

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.