Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) and electroCore (NASDAQ:ECOR) Head-To-Head Review

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) and electroCore (NASDAQ:ECOR) are both healthcare companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, valuation, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

87.0% of Becton, Dickinson and Company shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.7% of electroCore shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.4% of Becton, Dickinson and Company shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.8% of electroCore shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Becton, Dickinson and Company and electroCore”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Becton, Dickinson and Company	$21.84 billion	2.51	$1.68 billion	$3.32	59.87
electroCore	$36.97 million	1.75	-$13.97 million	($1.66)	-4.31

Becton, Dickinson and Company has higher revenue and earnings than electroCore. electroCore is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Becton, Dickinson and Company, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Becton, Dickinson and Company and electroCore’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Becton, Dickinson and Company	4.52%	14.79%	6.93%
electroCore	-39.96%	N/A	-81.35%

Volatility & Risk

Becton, Dickinson and Company has a beta of 0.22, meaning that its stock price is 78% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, electroCore has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its stock price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Becton, Dickinson and Company and electroCore, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Becton, Dickinson and Company	1	8	8	1	2.50
electroCore	1	1	1	0	2.00

Becton, Dickinson and Company presently has a consensus price target of $185.07, indicating a potential downside of 6.89%. electroCore has a consensus price target of $18.00, indicating a potential upside of 151.40%. Given electroCore’s higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe electroCore is more favorable than Becton, Dickinson and Company.

Summary

Becton, Dickinson and Company beats electroCore on 12 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Becton, Dickinson and Company

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. The BD Medical segment provides peripheral intravenous (IV) and advanced peripheral catheters, central lines, acute dialysis catheters, vascular access technology, vascular care and preparation products, needle-free IV connectors and extensions sets, closed-system drug transfer devices, hazardous drug detections, hypodermic syringes and needles, anesthesia needles and trays, enteral syringes, and sharps disposal systems; IV medication safety and infusion therapy delivery systems, medication compounding workflow systems, automated medication dispensing and supply management systems, and medication inventory optimization and tracking systems; and prefillable drug delivery systems. The BD Life Sciences segment offers specimen and blood collection products; automated blood and tuberculosis culturing, molecular testing, microorganism identification and drug susceptibility, and liquid-based cytology systems, as well as rapid diagnostic assays, microbiology laboratory automation products, and plated media products; and fluorescence-activated cell sorters and analyzers, antibodies and kits, reagent systems, and solutions for single-cell gene expression analysis, as well as clinical oncology, immunological, and transplantation diagnostic/monitoring reagents and analyzers. The BD Interventional segment provides hernia and soft tissue repair, biological and bioresorbable grafts, biosurgery, and other surgical products; surgical infection prevention; peripheral intervention products; and urology and critical care products. The company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

About electroCore

electroCore, Inc., a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company, provides non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation technology platform in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company is developing gammaCore, a prescription only handheld device intended for regular or intermittent use for the acute treatment of pain associated with migraine and episodic cluster headache, as well as for the treatment of hemicrania continua and paroxysmal hemicrania. It also develops Truvaga for the support of general health and wellbeing; and TAC-STIM for human performance. In addition, the company offers gammacore Sapphire, a portable, reusable, rechargeable, and reloadable prescription medical device for various primary headache conditions. electroCore, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Rockaway, New Jersey.