Becton, Dickinson and Company

(New York Stock Exchange)
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Slightly Bullish +25

Earnings Preview: Becton Dickinson (BDX) Q2 Earnings Expected to Decline

AI-generated analysis

πŸ“‰ Analysts anticipate a year-over-year decline in Becton Dickinson's Q2 earnings with expected EPS of $2.77, down 17.3% from the prior year.

πŸ’° Revenue is forecast to be $4.67 billion, representing an 11.5% decrease compared to the same quarter last year.

πŸ“… The company is scheduled to release its earnings report for the quarter ended March 2026 on May 7.

πŸ”„ Consensus EPS estimates have been revised downward by 0.56% over the past 30 days, reflecting analyst bearishness.

πŸ€– Becton Dickinson's Earnings ESP is -0.24% because its Most Accurate Estimate falls below the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

πŸ“Š The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), which makes predicting an earnings beat difficult alongside the negative ESP.

πŸ“ˆ Historical performance shows Becton Dickinson has beaten consensus estimates four times in the last four reported quarters.

⚠️ A positive earnings beat or miss alone may not drive stock movement if other disappointing factors exist.

πŸ” For context, peer Dentsply International (XRAY) carries a positive Earnings ESP of +1.98% and is expected to beat estimates.

πŸ—“οΈ The Zacks Earnings Calendar is recommended for tracking upcoming earnings announcements across the medical-dental supplies industry.

Bullish Signals
  • The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), which is associated with positive investment sentiment.
  • Historically, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates in four out of the last four reported quarters.
  • In its most recent past quarter, the company delivered a positive earnings surprise of +3.19% on actual earnings of $2.91 per share versus expectations.
  • Management's discussion during the upcoming earnings call on May 7 could provide additional optimistic catalysts that drive the stock price higher despite lower consensus estimates.
Risk Factors
  • The market anticipates a year-over-year earnings decline of -17.3% with expected quarterly EPS of $2.77 per share.
  • Total revenues are projected to drop significantly by 11.5% to $4.67 billion for the quarter ended March 2026.
  • The consensus EPS estimate has been revised 0.56% lower over the last 30 days, indicating growing analyst pessimism.
  • Analysts have recently shifted to a more bearish stance as the Most Accurate Estimate is now lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
  • The Earnings ESP reading stands at -0.24%, suggesting that analysts expect actual results to fall short of the consensus.
  • Becton Dickinson carries a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), which complicates predictions for an earnings beat given the negative ESP signal.
  • Historical data from the last quarter shows a surprise of +3.19%, but over the last four quarters, the company has only beaten estimates four times, creating uncertainty about future performance.
Full Analysis
Market analysts anticipate a year-over-year decline in earnings for Becton Dickinson and Company (BDX) when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2026, with an earnings release scheduled for May 7. The consensus expectation is that quarterly earnings will be $2.77 per share, representing a 17.3% decrease compared to the same quarter last year, while revenues are projected to reach $4.67 billion, marking an 11.5% drop from the previous year. Over the past 30 days, the consensus earnings per share (EPS) estimate has been revised downward by 0.56%, reflecting a collective reassessment of initial predictions by covering analysts. In evaluating the potential for a positive earnings surprise, the Zacks Earnings ESP model indicates a challenging outlook for BDX. The Most Accurate Estimate is currently lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate at an Earnings ESP of -0.24%, suggesting recent bearishness among analysts regarding the company's earnings prospects. Although BDX holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), research shows that predictive power for beating estimates is strongest with positive ESP readings and strong buy or buy ranks; consequently, the combination of a negative ESP and a Hold rank makes it difficult to confidently predict that BDX will exceed the consensus EPS estimate. Historical data shows the company beat estimates in four out of the last four quarters reported, though prior quarter results show an actual surprise of +3.19% against an expectation of $2.82 per share when delivering $2.91 per share. The article notes that while a miss may negatively impact the stock price, other factors such as management's discussion on business conditions during the earnings call will heavily influence investor sentiment and stock movement. To provide context, the report contrasts BDX with peer Dentsply Sirona Inc. (XRAY), which is also expected to report for the March 2026 quarter. XRAY has a projected EPS of $0.28 per share (a -34.9% year-over-year change) and revenues of $840.06 million (down 4.4%). Unlike BDX, XRAY shows a positive Earnings ESP of +1.98% combined with a Zacks Rank of #3, suggesting it is more likely to beat consensus estimates, although its historical beat rate over the last four quarters is two out of four. Investors are advised to consider both EPS surprises and qualitative catalysts when betting on these stocks ahead of their respective earnings releases.