Badger Meter, Inc. $BMI Shares Sold by BNP Paribas Financial Markets

Key Points

• BNP Paribas Financial Markets reduced its Badger Meter stake by 18% in the fourth quarter, selling 10,994 shares and ending with 50,226 shares valued at about $8.76 million.
• Badger Meter remains heavily held by institutions, with 89.01% of shares owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Several firms also added new positions in the stock during recent quarters.
• Analysts are mixed on the name: the consensus rating is Hold with an average price target of $155.86, while the stock recently traded around $130.39. The company also paid a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, yielding about 1.2%.

BNP Paribas Financial Markets lowered its stake in shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI - Free Report) by 18.0% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 50,226 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock after selling 10,994 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned approximately 0.17% of Badger Meter worth $8,760,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Badger Meter during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. purchased a new position in Badger Meter in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Caitlin John LLC purchased a new position in Badger Meter in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its position in Badger Meter by 62.3% in the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 185 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company's stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Strategic Advocates LLC purchased a new position in Badger Meter in the 3rd quarter valued at $41,000. 89.01% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays set a $110.00 price objective on shares of Badger Meter and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an "outperform" rating on shares of Badger Meter in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of Badger Meter from $190.00 to $160.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Badger Meter from a "hold (c)" rating to a "hold (c-)" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Robert W. Baird lowered their price objective on shares of Badger Meter from $173.00 to $145.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 20th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $155.86.

Badger Meter Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE BMI opened at $130.39 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.81 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.43, a PEG ratio of 2.27 and a beta of 0.68. Badger Meter, Inc. has a one year low of $112.09 and a one year high of $251.54. The company's fifty day moving average is $131.52 and its two-hundred day moving average is $153.21.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 EPS for the quarter. The company had revenue of $220.71 million for 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, Inc. will post 4.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 22nd were paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 22nd. Badger Meter's payout ratio is 36.12%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Badger Meter

In other news, VP Richard Htwe purchased 1,700 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 21st. The stock was acquired at an average price of $116.13 per share, with a total value of $197,421.00. Following the purchase, the vice president directly owned 7,603 shares of the company's stock, valued at $882,936.39. This represents a 28.80% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, VP Edward F. Callahan purchased 858 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 21st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $116.30 per share, with a total value of $99,785.40. Following the purchase, the vice president directly owned 1,186 shares in the company, valued at approximately $137,931.80. The trade was a 261.59% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last ninety days, insiders have acquired 6,628 shares of company stock worth $777,128. Insiders own 1.00% of the company's stock.

Badger Meter News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Stifel Nicolaus remained positive on Badger Meter, keeping a Buy rating, which supports the investment case despite the legal overhang. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Several outlets highlighted Badger Meter’s Q1 earnings versus peers in the inspection instruments group, keeping attention on fundamentals rather than adding a clear new catalyst. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Rosen Law Firm, Schall Law Firm, Faruqi & Faruqi, Levi & Korsinsky, Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter, and Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman all publicized or advanced a class action lawsuit against Badger Meter, alleging investors were harmed during the April 2024 to April 2026 period. These repeated legal notices can create uncertainty and pressure the stock. Article Title

Badger Meter Company Profile

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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