Badger Meter, Inc. $BMI Shares Bought by Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.

Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd. raised its holdings in Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) by 70.3% in the fourth quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 28,818 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after buying an additional 11,896 shares during the quarter. Meiji Yasuda Asset Management Co Ltd.’s holdings in Badger Meter were worth $5,026,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Badger Meter in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new stake in Badger Meter in the third quarter valued at $31,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its holdings in Badger Meter by 62.3% in the third quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 185 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 71 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new stake in Badger Meter in the second quarter valued at $49,000. Finally, Strategic Advocates LLC acquired a new stake in Badger Meter in the third quarter valued at $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.01% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Badger Meter

In related news, VP Kimberly K. Stoll sold 1,634 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.01, for a total transaction of $243,482.34. Following the sale, the vice president directly owned 3,256 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $485,176.56. This represents a 33.42% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Robert Wrocklage purchased 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 23rd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $122.35 per share, for a total transaction of $122,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president owned 23,321 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,853,324.35. This represents a 4.48% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders bought 6,628 shares of company stock worth $777,128 and sold 3,989 shares worth $596,002. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the company’s stock.

Badger Meter Stock Up 4.6%

NYSE BMI opened at $125.75 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $3.67 billion, a PE ratio of 28.39, a P/E/G ratio of 2.16 and a beta of 0.68. Badger Meter, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $112.09 and a fifty-two week high of $256.08. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $136.65 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $157.69.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $220.71 million during the quarter. Badger Meter had a return on equity of 18.76% and a net margin of 14.56%. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Badger Meter, Inc. will post 4.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 22nd will be paid a dividend of $0.40 per share. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 22nd. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio is 36.12%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Barclays set a $110.00 target price on Badger Meter and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price target on shares of Badger Meter from $220.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and set a $167.00 price objective on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Friday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on Badger Meter from $190.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 17th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $155.86.

Badger Meter Company Profile

Badger Meter, founded in 1905 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader in flow measurement and control solutions. The company’s core business centers on the design, manufacture and sale of water meters, control valves and related accessories for municipal and industrial water utilities. Over its more than a century of operation, Badger Meter has built a reputation for precision engineering, durability and compliance with international regulatory standards.

The company’s product portfolio includes mechanical and ultrasonic water meters, electromagnetic flow meters for industrial applications, and a range of control valves that help utilities manage pressure and flow in distribution networks.