Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc. Has $21.11 Million Stock Position in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX)

Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc. increased its position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) by 39.3% in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 93,056 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after purchasing an additional 26,230 shares during the period. Becton, Dickinson and Company makes up approximately 1.5% of Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Financiere des Professionnels Fonds d investissement inc.’s holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $21,112,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Livelsberger Financial Advisory acquired a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Sierra Ocean LLC acquired a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 3rd quarter valued at about $33,000. Tompkins Financial Corp increased its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 44.2% in the 3rd quarter. Tompkins Financial Corp now owns 150 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $36,000 after acquiring an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kennebec Savings Bank acquired a new stake in Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 3rd quarter valued at about $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 86.97% of the company’s stock.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of NYSE BDX opened at $224.89 on Monday. The firm has a market capitalization of $65.22 billion, a PE ratio of 37.36, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.40. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 1 year low of $218.75 and a 1 year high of $251.99. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $232.60 and its 200-day moving average is $233.67.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last released its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 8.47% and a return on equity of 15.74%. Equities analysts expect that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 14.41 EPS for the current year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company declared that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback plan on Tuesday, January 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase 10,000,000 outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the medical instruments supplier to buy shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually an indication that the company’s board believes its stock is undervalued.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 31st. Investors of record on Monday, March 10th will be paid a dividend of $1.04 per share. This represents a $4.16 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.85%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 10th. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s payout ratio is 69.10%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Roland Goette sold 638 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $219.03, for a total transaction of $139,741.14. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 14,217 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,113,949.51. This trade represents a 4.29 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Jeffrey William Henderson acquired 1,500 shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 10th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $233.62 per share, for a total transaction of $350,430.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 8,015 shares in the company, valued at $1,872,464.30. The trade was a 23.02 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have sold 10,544 shares of company stock valued at $2,370,309 in the last 90 days. 0.36% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BDX has been the subject of several research reports. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Barclays raised 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 note on Friday. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $275.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 28th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $278.29.

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.