Citi Resumes Buy Rating on Becton, Dickinson
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 5d ago
0mins
Should l Buy BDX?
Source: seekingalpha
- Business Focus Enhancement: Citi has resumed its buy rating on Becton, Dickinson, asserting that the spinoff of its Biosciences & Diagnostic Solutions business on February 9 will allow the company to concentrate on medtech, leading to faster growth.
- Price Target Set: Citi has set a price target of $233 for BD, indicating a 15% upside based on the February 2 close, reflecting market optimism regarding its future growth potential.
- Increased Financial Flexibility: Analyst Joanne Wuensch noted that post-spinoff, BD will focus on four major areas: medical essentials, connected care, biopharma systems, and interventional, which is expected to enhance financial flexibility for debt repayment and share repurchase.
- R&D Investment Opportunities: Valued at $17.5 billion, the spinoff is anticipated to provide BD with additional funds for R&D investments, further driving innovation and competitiveness in the medtech sector.
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Analyst Views on BDX
Wall Street analysts forecast BDX stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for BDX is 202.38 USD with a low forecast of 183.00 USD and a high forecast of 220.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
8 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 206.510
Low
183.00
Averages
202.38
High
220.00
Current: 206.510
Low
183.00
Averages
202.38
High
220.00
About BDX
Becton, Dickinson and Company is a global medical technology company. The Company is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products used by healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, and more. Its BD Medical segment produces an array of medical technologies and devices that are used to help improve healthcare delivery in a range of settings. The BD Medical segment consists of various business units, including medication delivery solutions, medication management solutions, advanced monitoring, and pharmaceutical systems. Its BD Life Sciences segment provides products for the collection and transport of diagnostics specimens, and instruments and reagent systems to detect a range of infectious diseases, healthcare-associated infections and cancers. Its BD Interventional segment provides vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialty products.
About the author

Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
- Earnings Release Announcement: Becton Dickinson is set to release its Q1 earnings before the market opens on February 9, with analysts projecting earnings of $2.81 per share, down from $3.43 last year, indicating a potential decline in profitability that may affect investor confidence.
- Revenue Expectations Decline: The company anticipates quarterly revenue of $5.15 billion, slightly lower than last year's $5.17 billion, reflecting soft market demand that could pressure stock prices and influence future investment decisions.
- Share Buyback Plan: Announced on January 27, Becton Dickinson's plan to repurchase up to 10 million shares aims to enhance earnings per share and shareholder returns, potentially attracting more investor interest in the company's long-term value.
- Dividend Yield Analysis: With an annual dividend yield of 2.03% and a quarterly dividend of $1.05, investors seeking $500 monthly dividends would need to invest approximately $295,103, highlighting the company's dividend policy's appeal to income-focused investors.
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- Earnings Announcement Date: Becton, Dickinson (BDX) is set to announce its Q1 2023 earnings on February 9 before market open, with consensus EPS estimate at $2.81, reflecting an 18.1% year-over-year decline, and revenue estimate at $5.15 billion, down 0.4% year-over-year, indicating profitability challenges ahead.
- Historical Performance Review: Over the past two years, BDX has consistently beaten EPS estimates 100% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time, demonstrating a degree of financial stability despite current pressures.
- Expectation Revisions: In the last three months, there have been no upward revisions to EPS estimates, with 9 downward adjustments, while revenue estimates also saw no upward revisions and 7 downward adjustments, reflecting market caution regarding the company's future performance.
- Dividend Declaration: Becton, Dickinson has declared a dividend of $1.05 per share, maintaining its commitment to shareholders despite profitability pressures, which underscores the stability of its cash flow.
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- Business Focus Enhancement: Citi has resumed its buy rating on Becton, Dickinson, asserting that the spinoff of its Biosciences & Diagnostic Solutions business on February 9 will allow the company to concentrate on medtech, leading to faster growth.
- Price Target Set: Citi has set a price target of $233 for BD, indicating a 15% upside based on the February 2 close, reflecting market optimism regarding its future growth potential.
- Increased Financial Flexibility: Analyst Joanne Wuensch noted that post-spinoff, BD will focus on four major areas: medical essentials, connected care, biopharma systems, and interventional, which is expected to enhance financial flexibility for debt repayment and share repurchase.
- R&D Investment Opportunities: Valued at $17.5 billion, the spinoff is anticipated to provide BD with additional funds for R&D investments, further driving innovation and competitiveness in the medtech sector.
See More
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