Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) Upgraded to "Hold" at Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Badger Meter was upgraded by Wall Street Zen from “sell” to “hold”, adding to a mixed analyst picture for the stock.
• Analyst sentiment is now split, with five Buy ratings, six Hold ratings, and one Sell rating; MarketBeat says the consensus target price is $155.86.
• The stock opened at $118.66, well below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, while the company most recently reported $1.14 EPS on $220.71 million in revenue.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday.

A number of other research firms have also issued reports on BMI. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Badger Meter from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, April 3rd. Argus downgraded shares of Badger Meter from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, February 2nd. Maxim Group lowered shares of Badger Meter from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 23rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "hold" rating and issued a $167.00 target price on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut their target price on Badger Meter from $220.00 to $200.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Badger Meter presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $155.86.

Badger Meter Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE BMI opened at $118.66 on Friday. Badger Meter has a one year low of $112.09 and a one year high of $256.08. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.79, a PEG ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.68. The company's fifty day moving average is $143.74 and its two-hundred day moving average is $162.56.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The company had revenue of $220.71 million during the quarter. Badger Meter had a net margin of 14.56% and a return on equity of 18.76%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Badger Meter will post 4.5 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Robert Wrocklage acquired 1,650 shares of Badger Meter stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 9th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $152.35 per share, with a total value of $251,377.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 19,541 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,977,071.35. This trade represents a 9.22% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, VP Kimberly K. Stoll sold 1,634 shares of Badger Meter stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $149.01, for a total value of $243,482.34. Following the sale, the vice president owned 3,256 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $485,176.56. This represents a 33.42% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have acquired 11,578 shares of company stock worth $1,531,492 and have sold 3,989 shares worth $596,002. Company insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Badger Meter

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC acquired a new position in shares of Badger Meter during the 4th quarter valued at about $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its position in Badger Meter by 76.5% during the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 150 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Badger Meter during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its stake in Badger Meter by 62.3% during the third 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 during the period. 89.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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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