Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Given New $204.00 Price Target at Citigroup

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) had its price target lifted by investment analysts at Citigroup from $198.00 to $204.00 in a research report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Citigroup’s price objective points to a potential upside of 15.56% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on BDX. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $156.00 to $150.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $161.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus set a $195.00 price target on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research report on Friday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, April 10th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $175.00 to $180.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Friday. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $185.00.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Performance

Becton, Dickinson and Company stock traded down $0.54 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $176.53. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,807,885 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,715,761. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $153.78 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $162.41. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a current ratio of 0.94. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 12-month low of $127.59 and a 12-month high of $187.35. The company has a market capitalization of $48.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 44.69, a PEG ratio of 12.16 and a beta of 0.19.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.23 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.14 by $0.09. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a return on equity of 15.37% and a net margin of 5.33%.The firm had revenue of $4.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.89 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $3.68 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. Becton, Dickinson and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.620-12.720 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.53 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Becton, Dickinson and Company

In other Becton, Dickinson and Company news, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 1,100 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $145.66, for a total value of $160,226.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 13,172 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,918,633.52. This trade represents a 7.71% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Thomas E. Polen, Jr. sold 2,764 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $146.35, for a total value of $404,511.40. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 110,163 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,122,355.05. This trade represents a 2.45% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 5,189 shares of company stock worth $765,661 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Auto Owners Insurance Co raised its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 22,225.2% during the fourth quarter. Auto Owners Insurance Co now owns 40,711,035 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $790,079,000 after purchasing an additional 40,528,680 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 2nd quarter worth about $3,721,533,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 9,056.3% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 5,232,086 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $979,290,000 after purchasing an additional 5,174,944 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 13.0% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 36,678,939 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $7,118,282,000 after purchasing an additional 4,223,149 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 23,219.2% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 4,155,709 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $769,397,000 after buying an additional 4,137,888 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.97% of the company’s stock.

Becton, Dickinson and Company News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Becton, Dickinson and Company this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Raised fiscal 2026 outlook: BD increased adjusted EPS guidance to $12.62–$12.72, above the $12.56 consensus, and expects revenue growth toward the high end of its previous range. Management is also targeting 90% free-cash-flow conversion. BD raises fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS guidance
• Positive Sentiment: Quarterly results topped expectations: Adjusted EPS was $3.23 versus the $3.14 analyst consensus, while revenue rose 5.4% year over year to approximately $5.0 billion, exceeding estimates of $4.89 billion. Year-to-date operating cash flow increased 33.3% to $2.1 billion, and free cash flow rose 44.6% to $1.7 billion. BD fiscal 2026 third-quarter results
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts raised their targets but remain cautious: Piper Sandler lifted its price target from $161 to $175 while maintaining a neutral rating. Wells Fargo raised its target from $161 to $170 and kept an equal-weight rating. Both targets imply limited upside—or downside—from recent trading levels, potentially restraining buying enthusiasm.
• Negative Sentiment: Profitability remains a concern: Although revenue and adjusted earnings beat estimates, reported EPS declined from $3.68 a year earlier, and coverage noted pressure on gross and operating margins. The combination of margin compression and a relatively cautious analyst stance helps explain why BDX has decreased even after the earnings beat. BD earnings and margin report

About Becton, Dickinson and Company

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is a global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells a broad range of medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. BD’s products are used by healthcare institutions, clinical laboratories, life science researchers and the pharmaceutical industry to enable safe, effective delivery of care, specimen collection and diagnostic testing. The company’s operations span multiple business areas focused on medical devices, life sciences research tools and interventional technologies.

BD’s product portfolio includes single-use medical devices such as syringes, needles, needlesafety and injection systems, infusion therapy and medication management solutions, as well as vascular access, urology and oncology devices acquired through its interventional business.