Fundsmith Investment Services LTD. Takes Position in Badger Meter, Inc. $BMI

Fundsmith Investment Services LTD. purchased a new stake in shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund purchased 132,631 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock, valued at approximately $23,132,000. Badger Meter comprises about 0.4% of Fundsmith Investment Services LTD.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Fundsmith Investment Services LTD. owned 0.45% of Badger Meter as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Badger Meter in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 76.5% during 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 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the 3rd quarter valued at $31,000. Finally, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 62.3% during the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. 89.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on BMI. Barclays set a $110.00 target price on Badger Meter and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Monday, April 20th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $140.00 price target on Badger Meter in a report on Friday, May 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on Badger Meter from $190.00 to $160.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 17th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Badger Meter from a “hold (c)” rating to a “hold (c-)” rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Badger Meter in a report on Thursday, May 21st. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $155.86.

Badger Meter Trading Up 0.9%

NYSE BMI opened at $135.67 on Wednesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.96 billion, a PE ratio of 30.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.68. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $129.04 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $151.37. Badger Meter, Inc. has a 12 month low of $112.09 and a 12 month high of $251.54.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 17th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) 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 during the quarter. As a group, analysts forecast that Badger Meter, Inc. will post 4.51 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 5th. Stockholders 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Badger Meter’s payout ratio is 36.12%.

More Badger Meter News

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

Insider Transactions at Badger Meter

In other news, VP Christina M. Tarantino acquired 870 shares of Badger Meter stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, April 21st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $113.80 per share, with a total value of $99,006.00. Following the purchase, the vice president owned 1,801 shares in the company, valued at $204,953.80. This trade represents a 93.45% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Kenneth Bockhorst bought 2,200 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 21st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $117.53 per share, with a total value of $258,566.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 51,676 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,073,480.28. The trade was a 4.45% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have acquired 6,628 shares of company stock worth $777,128. Company insiders own 1.00% of the company’s stock.

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.