Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) Given a $233.00 Price Target by Stifel Nicolaus Analysts

Stifel Nicolaus set a $233.00 target price on Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI - Free Report) in a report published on Monday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the scientific and technical instruments company's stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the stock. Robert W. Baird reduced their price objective on shares of Badger Meter from $218.00 to $216.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 21st. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of Badger Meter from $238.00 to $252.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, April 21st. Argus set a $240.00 price target on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Thursday, April 24th. Finally, Raymond James Financial initiated coverage on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Tuesday, June 3rd. They issued a "market perform" rating on the stock. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Badger Meter has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $240.20.

Badger Meter Price Performance

NYSE BMI traded down $2.61 on Monday, hitting $189.40. 270,355 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 257,725. The business's fifty day moving average is $242.55 and its 200 day moving average is $219.61. Badger Meter has a 52 week low of $162.17 and a 52 week high of $256.08. The company has a market capitalization of $5.58 billion, a PE ratio of 41.26, a P/E/G ratio of 2.91 and a beta of 0.83.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 22nd. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.19 by ($0.02). Badger Meter had a return on equity of 21.57% and a net margin of 15.53%. The firm had revenue of $238.10 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $235.38 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $1.12 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 9.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Badger Meter will post 4.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 6th. Investors of record on Friday, May 23rd were given a dividend of $0.34 per share. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.72%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 23rd. Badger Meter's dividend payout ratio is 29.63%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC bought a new stake in shares of Badger Meter during the 4th quarter worth $227,000. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its position in Badger Meter by 11.9% in the fourth quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 5,944 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $1,261,000 after purchasing an additional 632 shares during the last quarter. Xponance Inc. raised its position in Badger Meter by 16.1% in the fourth quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 2,216 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $470,000 after purchasing an additional 308 shares during the last quarter. Summit Global Investments bought a new position in Badger Meter in the fourth quarter valued at about $659,000. Finally, KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS bought a new position in Badger Meter in the fourth quarter valued at about $6,682,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.01% of the company's stock.

Badger Meter Company Profile

Badger Meter, Inc manufactures and markets flow measurement, quality, control, and communication solutions worldwide. It offers mechanical or static water meters, and related radio and software technologies and services to municipal water utilities market. The company also provides flow instrumentation products, including meters, valves, and other sensing instruments to measure and control fluids going through a pipe or pipeline, including water, air, steam, and other liquids and gases to original equipment manufacturers as the primary flow measurement device within a product or system, as well as through manufacturers' representatives.