Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Given Average Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) has been given an average recommendation of “Hold” by the fourteen brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $196.00.

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on BDX. Wall Street Zen lowered Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Citigroup cut their price target on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $233.00 to $232.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. Piper Sandler reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $170.00 price objective (down from $205.00) on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Tuesday. Barclays initiated coverage on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Tuesday. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $202.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada set a $172.00 target price on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Tuesday.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Price Performance

BDX stock opened at $180.39 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market cap of $51.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.43, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.25. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $199.49 and its 200 day moving average is $192.35. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 52 week low of $162.29 and a 52 week high of $235.34.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, February 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.91 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.81 by $0.10. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a return on equity of 15.76% and a net margin of 8.01%.The firm had revenue of $5.25 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.15 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $3.43 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Becton, Dickinson and Company has set its FY 2026 guidance at 12.350-12.650 EPS. Research analysts predict that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 14.43 earnings per share for the current year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company announced that its board has approved a stock buyback program on Tuesday, January 27th that authorizes the company to repurchase $10.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical instruments supplier to purchase up to 0% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are generally an indication that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 10th will be given a $1.05 dividend. This represents a $4.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 10th. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 68.52%.

Key Becton, Dickinson and Company News

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

• Positive Sentiment: BD closed its biosciences & diagnostics spin-off and merged that business with Waters, generating roughly $4 billion in proceeds and repositioning BD as a pure-play medical technology company — a strategic de‑risking that analysts and investors view favorably. BD Merges Biosciences & Diagnostics Business With Waters
• Positive Sentiment: Q1 FY2026: BD reported sales of ~$5.25B and EPS above consensus, and provided FY guidance — the beat + guidance underpin the bullish re-rating and help explain the intraday strength. BD (NYSE:BDX) Surprises With Q4 CY2025 Sales
• Positive Sentiment: High-profile endorsement: Jim Cramer publicly voiced support for the “new company” after the spin-off, which can boost retail interest and sentiment. Jim Cramer on Becton, Dickinson: “I kind of really like the new company”
• Positive Sentiment: BD launched cash tender offers to repurchase up to $1.6B of its outstanding debt, a move that can improve debt maturity profile and credit metrics. Investors often view targeted buybacks of debt as a constructive use of proceeds post‑spin. Becton Dickinson Launches $1.6 Billion Debt Tender Offers
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage and notes: Barclays initiated coverage with an Overweight and $202 PT (positive signal), while other firms adjusted targets — see items below; overall analyst activity is mixed and keeping volatility elevated. Barclays Overweight Note
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript and post‑spin analysis provide more detail on margins, capital allocation and guidance assumptions for investors doing deeper due diligence. Q1 2026 earnings call transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Several high‑profile firms trimmed price targets or ratings: Wells Fargo cut its PT to $157 and moved to Equal Weight (notable downside from prior levels), and JPMorgan lowered its PT to $175 and maintained Neutral — these cuts add sell‑side caution. Analyst Target Changes (Wells Fargo / JPMorgan)
• Negative Sentiment: Other shops pared targets (RBC, Jefferies, Citi had updates); although many keep Buy/Overweight stances, the lower targets reflect uncertainty around near‑term margin recovery and the pace of capital deployment after the spin. Are Wall Street Analysts Bullish on Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock?

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Becton, Dickinson and Company news, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 1,610 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.46, for a total transaction of $334,010.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 12,095 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,509,228.70. The trade was a 11.75% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders have sold 2,463 shares of company stock valued at $501,530 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.40% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crux Wealth Advisors boosted its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Crux Wealth Advisors now owns 6,297 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $1,222,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 1.7% in the 4th quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 3,230 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $627,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Camelot Portfolios LLC raised its stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 1.5% during the 4th quarter. Camelot Portfolios LLC now owns 3,545 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $688,000 after buying an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 3.6% during the 4th quarter. McElhenny Sheffield Capital Management LLC now owns 1,590 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $309,000 after buying an additional 55 shares during the period. Finally, Gilbert & Cook Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Gilbert & Cook Inc. now owns 2,844 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $490,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 86.97% of the company’s stock.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

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.