Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Rating Increased to Hold at Royal Bank Of Canada

Key Points

• Becton, Dickinson and Company has been upgraded to a "hold" rating by Royal Bank Of Canada, indicating a shift in analysts' outlook that reflects cautious optimism.
• Wells Fargo boosted its target price for the stock from $172.00 to $184.00, while other analysts have set varied targets, with a consensus price of $213.09.
• The company reported a quarterly earnings per share of $3.68, above estimates, with anticipated FY 2025 guidance at 14.300 to 14.450 EPS, demonstrating strong financial performance.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX - Get Free Report) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada to a "hold" rating in a research report issued on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $172.00 to $184.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, August 8th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $196.00 to $197.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, August 11th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 9th. Argus lifted their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $220.00 to $230.00 in a research note on Monday, September 15th. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed a "neutral" rating and set a $200.00 price objective (up from $185.00) on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Friday, August 8th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $213.09.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Trading Down 2.8%

Becton, Dickinson and Company stock opened at $180.86 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $51.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.53, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 0.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.10 and a quick ratio of 0.62. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 1 year low of $163.33 and a 1 year high of $251.99. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $188.15 and its 200-day moving average price is $189.25.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 7th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.40 by $0.28. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 7.51% and a return on equity of 16.23%. The firm had revenue of $5.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $5.50 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $3.50 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 10.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Becton, Dickinson and Company has set its FY 2025 guidance at 14.300-14.450 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 14.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Becton, Dickinson and Company

In related news, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 1,185 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $180.29, for a total value of $213,643.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president owned 4,887 shares in the company, valued at approximately $881,077.23. This represents a 19.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Claire Fraser sold 917 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $187.50, for a total transaction of $171,937.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 22,226 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,167,375. This trade represents a 3.96% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 2,965 shares of company stock worth $551,536. 0.36% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 15.4% during the 2nd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 32,308,749 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $5,565,182,000 after buying an additional 4,305,947 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 2nd quarter valued at about $653,377,000. First Eagle Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 59.2% in the 2nd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 8,786,190 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $1,513,421,000 after buying an additional 3,268,478 shares during the period. GQG Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the first quarter worth approximately $689,833,000. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 24.4% during the second quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 8,514,446 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $1,466,613,000 after buying an additional 1,670,590 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.97% of the company's stock.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company operates in three segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional.

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