Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Hits New 52-Week Low – Time to Sell?

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX)’s share price hit a new 52-week low on Friday . The company traded as low as $211.81 and last traded at $213.20, with a volume of 949886 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $221.59.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Barclays boosted their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $278.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 14th. StockNews.com raised Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $275.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $278.29.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Price Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $59.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $230.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $231.33.

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

Becton, Dickinson and Company Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $1.04 dividend. This represents a $4.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 10th. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 69.10%.

Becton, Dickinson and Company declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock buyback plan on Tuesday, January 28th that allows the company to buyback 10,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization allows the medical instruments supplier to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback plans are usually a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP David Shan sold 500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $240.00, for a total transaction of $120,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 5,741 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,377,840. The trade was a 8.01 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Richard Byrd sold 459 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.00, for a total transaction of $105,570.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 6,952 shares in the company, valued at $1,598,960. This represents a 6.19 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 4,984 shares of company stock valued at $1,147,865. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. REAP Financial Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 75.3% in the fourth quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 128 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the fourth quarter worth about $29,000. Picton Mahoney Asset Management lifted its stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 61.4% in the fourth quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 142 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares during the period. Finally, Hopwood Financial Services Inc. bought a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 4th quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors own 86.97% of the company’s stock.

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.