Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) Stock Holdings Lessened by Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc.

Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc. reduced its holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) by 1.0% during the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 43,649 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after selling 449 shares during the period. Becton, Dickinson and Company comprises approximately 1.2% of Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 23rd largest holding. Folger Nolan Fleming Douglas Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $10,643,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter worth about $35,000. Venturi Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company by 552.0% in the 4th quarter. Venturi Wealth Management LLC now owns 163 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 138 shares during the period. Arlington Trust Co LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 4th quarter worth about $41,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 3rd quarter worth about $55,000. 86.97% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Thomas J. Spoerel sold 282 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.29, for a total transaction of $67,197.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 2,276 shares in the company, valued at approximately $542,348.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.31% of the company’s stock.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Price Performance

Becton, Dickinson and Company stock traded up $1.07 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $231.55. 738,154 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,001,849. The firm has a market cap of $66.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 54.87, a P/E/G ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.43. The company has a quick ratio of 0.64, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $239.24 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $241.42. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 1-year low of $229.40 and a 1-year high of $287.32.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The medical instruments supplier reported $2.68 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.39 by $0.29. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a net margin of 6.44% and a return on equity of 13.57%. The firm had revenue of $4.71 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.73 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.98 EPS. Becton, Dickinson and Company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts forecast that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.94 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Raymond James increased their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $269.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Barclays raised their target price on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $301.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $280.00.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Company Profile

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.