Not a good buy right now at ~208.5 pre-market: price is pressing into nearby resistance (next key level ~210.65) while momentum is not cleanly bullish (MACD still negative).
Options positioning is constructive (call-leaning put/call ratios), but not strong enough to override the technical setup and heavy insider selling trend.
Near-term catalyst risk/reward is dominated by the upcoming earnings (2026-02-11 pre-market) and the LifeSciences Bioprocessing sale/spin-related repositioning; with an impatient profile, this is not an ideal “buy-now” setup.
Current price (pre-market): ~208.5, above Pivot 202.613 and above R1 207.581; next resistance is R2 210.65 (near-term upside may be capped until a clean breakout).
MACD histogram: -0.4 (below 0) but negatively contracting → downside momentum is fading, but trend has not flipped bullish yet.
RSI(6): 63.36 (neutral-to-bullish) → supports mild upside bias, but not an “oversold bounce” setup.
Moving averages: converging → consolidation/indecision; typically needs a breakout confirmation.
Key levels to watch: Support S1 ~197.645; Pivot ~202.613; Resistance ~210.65.
Options Data
Bullish
Open Interest Put-Call Ratio
Bullish
Option Volume Put-Call Ratio
Sentiment tilt: Put/Call ratios (OI 0.69; Volume 0.47) imply more call interest/flow than puts (bullish lean).
Activity: today’s volume (324) is below recent averages (5d avg ~725.8; 10d avg ~618.4) → sentiment signal is positive, but not backed by unusually heavy volume.
IV percentile ~60.8 (mid-high) → options are not “cheap,” but also not extreme.
Technical Summary
Sell
2
Buy
9
Positive Catalysts
supports a “simplification/focus” narrative.
showed strong growth: revenue +8.35% YoY; net income +23.25% YoY; EPS +24.82% YoY; gross margin improved.
Recent trend: price targets have generally moved up into early 2026, with a notable new/resumed bullish call from Citi.
Bullish/pro view: Citi Buy $233; Stifel Buy $215; Morgan Stanley Overweight $210 → thesis centers on improved MedTech setup and a more focused company post-transaction.
Neutral/mixed view: Piper Neutral $205; BofA Neutral $207; RBC Sector Perform $210 → acknowledges durable core and mid-single-digit growth, but reflects ongoing headwinds and execution/guidance sensitivity.
Bottom line from Wall Street: pros like the focus/catalyst and steady MedTech demand; cons focus on lingering headwinds and the need to see post-change execution deliver consistent growth.
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 USD and a high forecast of 220 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
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 USD and a high forecast of 220 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.
3 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 206.510
Low
183
Averages
202.38
High
220
Current: 206.510
Low
183
Averages
202.38
High
220
Citi
NULL
to
Buy
initiated
$233
AI Analysis
2026-02-02
Reason
Citi
Price Target
$233
AI Analysis
2026-02-02
initiated
NULL
to
Buy
Reason
Citi resumed coverage of Becton Dickinson (BDX) with a Buy rating and $233 price target. Becton Dickinson's sale of its LifeSciences Bioprocessing segment to Waters Corp (WAT), closing February 9, 2026, creates a pure-play MedTech company that still participates in Medical Essential, Connected Care, Biopharma Systems, and Interventional, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Spin-outs generally create a more focused company, freeing the parent to deliver faster, more consistent growth, and this should be true for Becton Dickinson, the firm added.
Piper Sandler
Jason Bednar
Neutral
maintain
$190 -> $205
2026-01-28
Reason
Piper Sandler
Jason Bednar
Price Target
$190 -> $205
2026-01-28
maintain
Neutral
Reason
Piper Sandler analyst Jason Bednar raised the firm's price target on Becton Dickinson (BDX) to $205 from $190 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm notes the company changed its business unit reporting methodology beginning Q1-26, and Piper is updating its model to reflect that new approach. Note that the firm's estimates continue to include the Life Sciences unit, which is finding a new home with Waters (WAT) in a couple weeks.
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