Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp Sells 5,715 Shares of Badger Meter, Inc. $BMI

Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp trimmed its stake in Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) by 49.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 5,760 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after selling 5,715 shares during the quarter. Lombard Odier Asset Management USA Corp’s holdings in Badger Meter were worth $1,005,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Badger Meter by 76.5% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 150 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. bought a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the fourth quarter worth approximately $27,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. lifted its stake in shares of 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 worth $33,000 after buying an additional 71 shares in the last quarter. 89.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Badger Meter Stock Up 0.9%

Shares of Badger Meter stock opened at $135.67 on Wednesday. Badger Meter, Inc. has a twelve month low of $112.09 and a twelve month high of $251.54. The company’s 50 day moving average is $129.04 and its 200 day moving average is $151.37. The company has a market cap of $3.96 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.68.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 earnings per share for the quarter. Badger Meter had a return on equity of 18.76% and a net margin of 14.56%.The company had revenue of $220.71 million for the quarter. Sell-side analysts expect that Badger Meter, Inc. will post 4.51 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 5th. Shareholders of record on Friday, May 22nd were given a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, May 22nd. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.2%. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 36.12%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BMI has been the topic of several analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus set a $140.00 target price on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Friday, May 22nd. Maxim Group downgraded Badger Meter from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Badger Meter in a report on Thursday, May 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Badger Meter from $190.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, April 17th. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded Badger Meter from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Friday, June 5th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $155.86.

Key Stories Impacting Badger Meter

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

• Negative Sentiment: Multiple firms announced or promoted a class action lawsuit against Badger Meter, increasing concerns about possible legal costs, management distraction, and reputational damage. Pomerantz Article
• Negative Sentiment: The class period and lead-plaintiff deadline reminders keep the litigation in focus, which can weigh on investor sentiment and the shares. Rosen Article
• Negative Sentiment: Additional law-firm notices suggest the lawsuit is gaining attention, reinforcing uncertainty around Badger Meter’s near-term stock performance. Bronstein Article

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Badger Meter news, VP Richard Htwe purchased 1,700 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 21st. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $116.13 per share, for a total transaction of $197,421.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president owned 7,603 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $882,936.39. The trade was a 28.80% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, VP Edward F. Callahan acquired 858 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 21st. The stock was bought at an average cost of $116.30 per share, for a total transaction of $99,785.40. Following the purchase, the vice president directly owned 1,186 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $137,931.80. This trade represents a 261.59% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders purchased 6,628 shares of company stock valued at $777,128. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Badger Meter 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.