Bridges Investment Management Inc. Boosts Stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX)

Bridges Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) by 80.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 13,308 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,926 shares during the period. Bridges Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $3,110,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Livelsberger Financial Advisory purchased a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter worth $27,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A purchased a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. Rise Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Finally, ICA Group Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $42,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.97% of the company’s stock.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock opened at $233.50 on Friday. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 1 year low of $218.75 and a 1 year high of $269.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70, a current ratio of 1.85 and a quick ratio of 1.36. The stock has a market cap of $67.48 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 51.43, a PEG ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.42. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $235.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $235.52.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 1st. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.31 by $0.19. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 7.13% and a return on equity of 14.49%. The company had revenue of $4.99 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.08 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.96 earnings per share. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 13.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, September 9th will be issued a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, September 9th. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.63%. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s dividend payout ratio is presently 83.70%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $260.00 to $255.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $270.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 26th. Evercore ISI cut their price objective on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $290.00 to $285.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 2nd. StockNews.com raised Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $274.00 price target on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $279.50.

Becton, Dickinson and 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.