Wells Fargo & Company Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Stock Price

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) had its target price decreased by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $184.00 to $157.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an “equal weight” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price objective would indicate a potential downside of 12.97% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on BDX. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Barclays initiated coverage on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a research note on Tuesday. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $202.00 price target on the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada lowered their price objective on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $210.00 to $172.00 and set a “sector perform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday. Citigroup began coverage on Becton, Dickinson and Company in a report on Tuesday, February 3rd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $233.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Piper Sandler restated a “neutral” rating and set a $170.00 price target (down from $205.00) on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in a report on Tuesday. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $196.00.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Trading Up 5.1%

BDX opened at $180.39 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 52 week low of $162.29 and a 52 week high of $235.34. The stock has a market cap of $51.36 billion, a PE ratio of 29.43, a PEG ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.25. The business has a 50 day moving average of $199.49 and a 200-day moving average of $192.35.

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

Becton, Dickinson and Company declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Tuesday, January 27th that authorizes the company to buyback $10.00 million in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the medical instruments supplier to repurchase up to 0% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback plans are typically a sign that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Michael David Garrison sold 1,610 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, January 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $207.46, for a total value of $334,010.60. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 12,095 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,509,228.70. This trade represents a 11.75% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders have sold a total of 2,463 shares of company stock worth $501,530 in the last 90 days. 0.40% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Becton, Dickinson and Company

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. lifted its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 256.8% in the third quarter. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. now owns 132 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $25,000 after acquiring an additional 95 shares during the period. Activest Wealth Management lifted its stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 285.3% in the 3rd quarter. Activest Wealth Management now owns 131 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 97 shares during the period. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Steph & Co. grew its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 95.6% during the fourth quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 133 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 65 shares during the period. Finally, Bell Investment Advisors Inc grew its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company by 474.1% during the second quarter. Bell Investment Advisors Inc now owns 155 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 128 shares during the period. 86.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Becton, Dickinson and Company News Roundup

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?

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.