JPMorgan Chase & Co. Cuts Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) Price Target to $190.00

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) had its price target decreased by JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $232.00 to $190.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. currently has an overweight rating on the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on BMI. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $167.00 price target on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Thursday. Robert W. Baird set a $165.00 target price on shares of Badger Meter in a report on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on Badger Meter in a research report on Friday, December 12th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $220.00 target price on the stock. Barclays set a $136.00 price target on Badger Meter and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $166.00 price objective on Badger Meter and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $188.89.

Badger Meter Stock Up 1.8%

Shares of Badger Meter stock opened at $147.01 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $4.33 billion, a PE ratio of 30.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.21 and a beta of 0.91. Badger Meter has a 52 week low of $139.14 and a 52 week high of $256.08. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $174.76 and its 200-day simple moving average is $181.57.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.15 by ($0.01). Badger Meter had a return on equity of 20.71% and a net margin of 15.45%.The business had revenue of $220.71 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $232.30 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.04 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts expect that Badger Meter will post 4.65 earnings per share for the current year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 21st were given a dividend of $0.40 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 21st. This represents a $1.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio is currently 33.33%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System raised its position in Badger Meter by 0.6% in the 2nd quarter. Maryland State Retirement & Pension System now owns 8,649 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $2,119,000 after purchasing an additional 54 shares in the last quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Badger Meter by 4.6% during the second quarter. Journey Strategic Wealth LLC now owns 1,296 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $317,000 after buying an additional 57 shares in the last quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Badger Meter by 27.3% during the third quarter. Global X Japan Co. Ltd. now owns 266 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $48,000 after buying an additional 57 shares during the period. Monument Capital Management raised its holdings in Badger Meter by 0.4% in the second quarter. Monument Capital Management now owns 15,588 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $3,818,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC raised its holdings in Badger Meter by 15.5% in the fourth quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 521 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $91,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. 89.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Badger Meter

Here are the key news stories impacting Badger Meter this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Institutional buying and valuation argument — Large institutional accumulation and the stock’s 40% decline from highs have pushed some investors to call BMI “deep-value,” highlighting steady free cash flow, dividend support and buybacks that underpin upside potential. MarketBeat: Institutions Buying
• Positive Sentiment: New contract win in Puerto Rico emphasizes smart-water SaaS traction — The Puerto Rico deal reinforces demand for Badger Meter’s smart water offerings and supports recurring revenue arguments used by bulls. Yahoo Finance: Puerto Rico Win
• Neutral Sentiment: Options-market activity shows elevated trader interest — Recent options flows signal speculators are positioning for a move (direction ambiguous), which can amplify intraday volatility and attract short-term volume. Zacks: Options Market
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 results disappointed on revenue and slightly missed EPS — Q4 revenue came in below consensus despite 7.6% sales growth; the mixed print prompted an initial sell-off and raised short-term growth/forecast scrutiny. Zacks: Q4 Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts trimmed price targets after the quarter — Jefferies lowered its target to $200 (still a Buy) and JPMorgan cut to $190 (still Overweight). Those reductions temper near-term upside expectations even as both firms remain constructive. Benzinga / TickerReport: Analyst Price Target Changes

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.