Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Given New $204.00 Price Target at Citigroup

Key Points

• Citigroup raised BDX’s price target to $204 from $198 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying 15.56% upside from the prior close.
• Becton Dickinson exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting adjusted EPS of $3.23 versus $3.14 expected and revenue of $4.98 billion, up 5.4% year over year. The company also guided fiscal 2026 EPS to $12.62–$12.72.
• Despite the earnings beat, analysts remain cautious: the consensus rating is “Hold” with a $185 target, while reported EPS declined from the prior year and margin pressure remains a concern.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX - Get Free Report) had its price target boosted by stock analysts at Citigroup from $198.00 to $204.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a "buy" rating on the medical instruments supplier's stock. Citigroup's target price would suggest a potential upside of 15.56% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Evercore set a $180.00 target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in a report on Monday, July 6th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $195.00 price target on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Friday. Barclays increased their price objective on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $202.00 to $204.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Zacks Research raised Becton, Dickinson and Company from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Becton, Dickinson and Company from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $185.00.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Down 0.3%

NYSE BDX traded down $0.54 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $176.53. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,807,885 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,715,761. The firm has a market capitalization of $48.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 44.69, a PEG ratio of 12.16 and a beta of 0.19. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $153.78 and its 200 day simple moving average is $162.41. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a twelve month low of $127.59 and a twelve month high of $187.35.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.23 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.14 by $0.09. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 5.33% and a return on equity of 15.37%. The firm had revenue of $4.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.89 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $3.68 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. Becton, Dickinson and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.620-12.720 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Becton, Dickinson and Company

In other Becton, Dickinson and Company news, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 1,100 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.66, for a total value of $160,226.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 13,172 shares in the company, valued at $1,918,633.52. This represents a 7.71% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Thomas E. Polen, Jr. sold 2,764 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.35, for a total transaction of $404,511.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 110,163 shares in the company, valued at $16,122,355.05. This trade represents a 2.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. In the last three months, insiders sold 5,189 shares of company stock worth $765,661. Insiders own 0.40% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of BDX. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the third quarter valued at $25,000. Steph & Co. increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 95.6% in the fourth quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 133 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the last quarter. SHP Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 152.2% during the 1st quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 169 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 102 shares during the period. Finally, Main Street Group LTD purchased a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 1st quarter worth about $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.97% of the company's stock.

Key Becton, Dickinson and Company News

Here are the key news stories impacting Becton, Dickinson and Company this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised fiscal 2026 outlook: BD increased adjusted EPS guidance to $12.62–$12.72, above the $12.56 consensus, and expects revenue growth toward the high end of its previous range. Management is also targeting 90% free-cash-flow conversion. BD raises fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results topped expectations: Adjusted EPS was $3.23 versus the $3.14 analyst consensus, while revenue rose 5.4% year over year to approximately $5.0 billion, exceeding estimates of $4.89 billion. Year-to-date operating cash flow increased 33.3% to $2.1 billion, and free cash flow rose 44.6% to $1.7 billion. BD fiscal 2026 third-quarter results
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts raised their targets but remain cautious: Piper Sandler lifted its price target from $161 to $175 while maintaining a neutral rating. Wells Fargo raised its target from $161 to $170 and kept an equal-weight rating. Both targets imply limited upside—or downside—from recent trading levels, potentially restraining buying enthusiasm.
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability remains a concern: Although revenue and adjusted earnings beat estimates, reported EPS declined from $3.68 a year earlier, and coverage noted pressure on gross and operating margins. The combination of margin compression and a relatively cautious analyst stance helps explain why BDX has decreased even after the earnings beat. BD earnings and margin report

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is a global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells a broad range of medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. BD's products are used by healthcare institutions, clinical laboratories, life science researchers and the pharmaceutical industry to enable safe, effective delivery of care, specimen collection and diagnostic testing. The company's operations span multiple business areas focused on medical devices, life sciences research tools and interventional technologies.

BD's product portfolio includes single-use medical devices such as syringes, needles, needlesafety and injection systems, infusion therapy and medication management solutions, as well as vascular access, urology and oncology devices acquired through its interventional business.

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