Becton, Dickinson and Company

(New York Stock Exchange)
Somewhat Bearish -25

Becton, Dickinson and Company $BDX Shares Sold by AMI Asset Management ...

πŸ“‰ AMI Asset Management Corp reduced its BDX holdings by 2.4% in Q1, selling 6,482 shares while maintaining a $41.49 million position.

πŸ“ˆ Multiple other investors including Steph & Co., SHP Wealth Management, and WPG Advisers LLC increased their stakes in the fourth quarter.

πŸ“‰ Weiss Ratings downgraded BDX to a 'sell (d+)' rating, while Piper Sandler, Stifel Nicolaus, and TD Cowen lowered price targets.

πŸ“ˆ Barclays maintained an 'overweight' rating and raised its price target to $204.00 amidst mixed analyst sentiment.

πŸ’° The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share with a 2.7% yield payable on June 30th.

πŸ“‰ CEO Thomas E. Polen, Jr. and EVP Michael David Garrison sold shares totaling over $965,000 in recent transactions.

πŸ“Š BDX trades at a PE ratio of 39.19 with a market cap of $42.66 billion and institutional ownership of 86.97%.

βš–οΈ The company maintains a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62 but operates with a payout ratio exceeding 100%.

Bullish Signals
  • Several institutional investors, including Steph & Co., SHP Wealth Management, Prosperity Bancshares Inc, and WPG Advisers LLC, increased or initiated new positions in BDX during the fourth quarter.
  • Barclays maintained an 'overweight' rating and raised its price target to $204.00, indicating continued confidence in the company's long-term prospects.
  • The company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share, providing a 2.7% yield to shareholders.
Risk Factors
  • Weiss Ratings downgraded BDX from a 'hold' to a 'sell (d+)' rating, signaling concerns about the stock's current valuation or performance.
  • Major analysts including Piper Sandler, Stifel Nicolaus, and TD Cowen recently lowered their price targets to between $159.00 and $175.00.
  • Corporate insiders, including CEO Thomas E. Polen, Jr. and EVP Michael David Garrison, sold shares totaling over $965,000 in recent transactions under pre-arranged plans.
  • The stock carries a high PE ratio of 39.19 and a payout ratio exceeding 100%, which may limit future dividend growth or indicate stretched valuation.
Full Analysis
AMI Asset Management Corp reduced its stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) by 2.4% during the first quarter, selling 6,482 shares to hold 263,904 shares valued at $41.49 million. While AMI decreased its position, several other institutional investors including Steph & Co., SHP Wealth Management, Prosperity Bancshares Inc, and WPG Advisers LLC increased or initiated new positions in the medical instruments supplier during the fourth quarter. Analyst sentiment remains mixed with a consensus 'Hold' rating and an average target price of $181.00. Major firms like Piper Sandler, Stifel Nicolaus, and TD Cowen recently lowered their price targets to between $159.00 and $175.00, while Weiss Ratings downgraded the stock to a 'sell' rating. Conversely, Barclays maintained an 'overweight' rating and slightly raised its target price to $204.00. The company recently declared a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share, payable on June 30th to shareholders of record on June 9th, resulting in a 2.7% yield. However, corporate insiders including CEO Thomas E. Polen, Jr. and EVP Michael David Garrison sold shares totaling over $965,000 in late May and early June under pre-arranged trading plans. Financial metrics show BDX trading near its 50-day moving average with a market capitalization of $42.66 billion. The stock carries a high PE ratio of 39.19 and a payout ratio exceeding 100%, while maintaining a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Institutional ownership stands at 86.97% as the company continues to focus on medical devices, life sciences research tools, and interventional technologies.