Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) EVP Richard Byrd Sells 459 Shares

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) EVP Richard Byrd sold 459 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, March 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $230.00, for a total transaction of $105,570.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 6,952 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,598,960. This trade represents a 6.19 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

Richard Byrd also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Wednesday, March 12th, Richard Byrd sold 1,940 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.91, for a total value of $436,325.40.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BDX traded down $0.30 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $231.83. The stock had a trading volume of 2,317,140 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,025,917. The stock has a market capitalization of $66.57 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.35. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 12-month low of $218.75 and a 12-month high of $251.99. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 1.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $232.72 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $232.12.

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

Becton, Dickinson and Company Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 10th will be given a $1.04 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 10th. This represents a $4.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.79%. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 69.10%.

Becton, Dickinson and Company declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Tuesday, January 28th that authorizes the company to buyback 10,000,000 shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the medical instruments supplier to reacquire shares of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BDX has been the topic of several analyst reports. StockNews.com upgraded Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th. Piper Sandler boosted 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. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $278.00 to $279.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 14th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $278.29.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust purchased a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company during the fourth quarter worth $25,000. REAP Financial Group LLC grew its stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 75.3% during the 4th quarter. REAP Financial Group LLC now owns 128 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $29,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Sierra Ocean LLC purchased a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Picton Mahoney Asset Management raised its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 61.4% in the 4th quarter. Picton Mahoney Asset Management now owns 142 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Hopwood Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter worth approximately $39,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.97% of the company’s stock.

About Becton, Dickinson and Company

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.