Guggenheim Capital LLC Has $12.17 Million Holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX)

Guggenheim Capital LLC reduced its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) by 9.5% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 53,649 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 5,619 shares during the quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC’s holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $12,171,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. increased its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 208.4% in the fourth quarter. Comgest Global Investors S.A.S. now owns 34,712 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $7,875,000 after purchasing an additional 23,457 shares during the last quarter. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 16.2% in the 4th quarter. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,404 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $318,000 after acquiring an additional 196 shares during the period. XTX Topco Ltd acquired a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter worth approximately $4,682,000. Broyhill Asset Management bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter worth approximately $306,000. Finally, CreativeOne Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 20.4% in the fourth quarter. CreativeOne Wealth LLC now owns 2,630 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $597,000 after purchasing an additional 445 shares during the last quarter. 86.97% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Trading Down 1.8 %

Shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock opened at $202.02 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 12-month low of $193.03 and a 12-month high of $251.99. The company has a market capitalization of $58.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 33.56, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.35. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $222.67 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $229.37.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 5th. The medical instruments supplier reported $3.43 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.00 by $0.43. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 8.47% and a return on equity of 15.74%. On average, analysts forecast that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 14.43 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company announced that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Tuesday, January 28th that allows the company to buyback 10,000,000 outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the medical instruments supplier to purchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 31st. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 10th were given a $1.04 dividend. This represents a $4.16 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.06%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 10th. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s dividend payout ratio is presently 69.10%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Becton, Dickinson and Company news, EVP Richard Byrd sold 1,940 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.91, for a total value of $436,325.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 7,411 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,666,808.01. This represents a 20.75 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 479 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, April 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $197.28, for a total value of $94,497.12. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 4,887 shares in the company, valued at approximately $964,107.36. This trade represents a 8.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 4,675 shares of company stock valued at $1,057,182. 0.36% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently weighed in on BDX. StockNews.com raised Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Barclays reduced their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $279.00 to $261.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 7th. Finally, Piper Sandler lifted their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $275.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $275.71.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company operates in three segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional.