Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Sets New 12-Month Low – Should You Sell?

Shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) reached a new 52-week low on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $193.03 and last traded at $209.57, with a volume of 3130426 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $200.83.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BDX has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Barclays decreased their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $279.00 to $261.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Piper Sandler increased their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $275.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, Becton, Dickinson and Company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $275.71.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Price Performance

The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a market cap of $60.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.81, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.35. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $225.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $230.36.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.00 by $0.43. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 8.47% and a return on equity of 15.74%. Analysts forecast that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 14.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th were issued a $1.04 dividend. This represents a $4.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.99%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s dividend payout ratio is 69.10%.

Becton, Dickinson and Company announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase program on Tuesday, January 28th that allows the company to repurchase 10,000,000 shares. This repurchase authorization allows the medical instruments supplier to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s leadership believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP David Shan sold 500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.00, for a total value of $120,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 5,741 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,377,840. This trade represents a 8.01 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Bertram L. Scott sold 700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $227.99, for a total value of $159,593.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 36,033 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,215,163.67. This represents a 1.91 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 4,196 shares of company stock valued at $962,685 over the last quarter. 0.36% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in BDX. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. REAP Financial Group LLC lifted its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 75.3% during the fourth quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 128 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the period. Picton Mahoney Asset Management lifted its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 61.4% during the fourth quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 142 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 54 shares during the period. Finally, Nexus Investment Management ULC purchased a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the first quarter valued at $34,000. 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.