Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) Posts Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By $0.01 EPS

Key Points

• Badger Meter reported quarterly earnings of $1.02 per share, beating Wall Street estimates by $0.01. Revenue came in at $220.3 million, just below expectations of $220.59 million.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, equal to an annualized payout of $1.60 and a 1.1% yield.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed: recent price targets were trimmed by some firms, and the stock currently carries an overall Hold rating with an average target price of $160.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI - Get Free Report) posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.02 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.01 by $0.01, FiscalAI reports. Badger Meter had a return on equity of 18.76% and a net margin of 14.56%.The business had revenue of $220.30 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $220.59 million.

Badger Meter Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BMI opened at $145.66 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $4.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 32.88, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.64. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $133.84 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $144.81. Badger Meter has a one year low of $112.09 and a one year high of $228.66.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 22nd were issued a $0.40 dividend. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 22nd. Badger Meter's dividend payout ratio is currently 36.12%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Badger Meter

In other news, EVP Robert Wrocklage bought 1,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 23rd. The stock was bought at an average price of $122.35 per share, with a total value of $122,350.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the executive vice president owned 23,321 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,853,324.35. This represents a 4.48% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Badger Meter

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in Badger Meter by 76.5% in the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 150 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its position in shares of Badger Meter by 62.3% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 185 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in shares of Badger Meter during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $49,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 13.5% during the fourth quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 688 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $123,000 after purchasing an additional 82 shares during the period. Finally, Twin Tree Management LP increased its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 108.8% during the third quarter. Twin Tree Management LP now owns 864 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $154,000 after purchasing an additional 10,660 shares during the period. 89.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird decreased their price objective on shares of Badger Meter from $173.00 to $145.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 20th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $170.00 price objective on shares of Badger Meter and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday. Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Thursday, May 21st. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Badger Meter from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, June 13th. Finally, Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Badger Meter from $110.00 to $109.00 and set an "underweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 13th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $160.00.

Badger Meter News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Badger Meter this week:

• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms issued reminders about the August 3 lead-plaintiff deadline in the Badger Meter securities class action, reinforcing legal overhang and potential litigation costs for investors.
• Negative Sentiment: The class-action allegations claim Badger Meter failed to disclose weakening “short-cycle” demand, with one notice saying investors suffered significant losses as revenue disappointed versus earlier growth expectations.
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are also watching for Badger Meter’s Q2 earnings, which could help clarify whether the company is stabilizing after the revenue concerns highlighted in the lawsuit. Article Title

About Badger Meter

Badger Meter, founded in 1905 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader in flow measurement and control solutions. The company's core business centers on the design, manufacture and sale of water meters, control valves and related accessories for municipal and industrial water utilities. Over its more than a century of operation, Badger Meter has built a reputation for precision engineering, durability and compliance with international regulatory standards.

The company's product portfolio includes mechanical and ultrasonic water meters, electromagnetic flow meters for industrial applications, and a range of control valves that help utilities manage pressure and flow in distribution networks.

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