Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX – Get Free Report) and STAAR Surgical (NASDAQ:STAA – Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings and risk.
Profitability
This table compares Becton, Dickinson and Company and STAAR Surgical’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | 7.28% | 15.99% | 7.36% |
| STAAR Surgical | -42.45% | -15.54% | -12.14% |
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Becton, Dickinson and Company and STAAR Surgical, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2.36 |
| STAAR Surgical | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
Insider and Institutional Ownership
87.0% of Becton, Dickinson and Company shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.7% of STAAR Surgical shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.4% of Becton, Dickinson and Company shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of STAAR Surgical shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Becton, Dickinson and Company and STAAR Surgical”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Becton, Dickinson and Company | $20.18 billion | 2.66 | $1.71 billion | $5.24 | 35.78 |
| STAAR Surgical | $313.90 million | 4.25 | -$20.21 million | ($1.93) | -13.96 |
Becton, Dickinson and Company has higher revenue and earnings than STAAR Surgical. STAAR Surgical is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Becton, Dickinson and Company, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Volatility & Risk
Becton, Dickinson and Company has a beta of 0.2, indicating that its stock price is 80% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, STAAR Surgical has a beta of 0.61, indicating that its stock price is 39% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Becton, Dickinson and Company beats STAAR Surgical on 10 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
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. The BD Medical segment provides peripheral intravenous (IV) and advanced peripheral catheters, central lines, acute dialysis catheters, vascular access technology, vascular care and preparation products, needle-free IV connectors and extensions sets, closed-system drug transfer devices, hazardous drug detections, hypodermic syringes and needles, anesthesia needles and trays, enteral syringes, and sharps disposal systems; IV medication safety and infusion therapy delivery systems, medication compounding workflow systems, automated medication dispensing and supply management systems, and medication inventory optimization and tracking systems; and prefillable drug delivery systems. The BD Life Sciences segment offers specimen and blood collection products; automated blood and tuberculosis culturing, molecular testing, microorganism identification and drug susceptibility, and liquid-based cytology systems, as well as rapid diagnostic assays, microbiology laboratory automation products, and plated media products; and fluorescence-activated cell sorters and analyzers, antibodies and kits, reagent systems, and solutions for single-cell gene expression analysis, as well as clinical oncology, immunological, and transplantation diagnostic/monitoring reagents and analyzers. The BD Interventional segment provides hernia and soft tissue repair, biological and bioresorbable grafts, biosurgery, and other surgical products; surgical infection prevention; peripheral intervention products; and urology and critical care products. The company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.
About STAAR Surgical
STAAR Surgical Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells implantable lenses for the eye, and companion delivery systems to deliver the lenses into the eye. The company provides implantable Collamer lens product family (ICLs) to treat visual disorders, such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia. It markets its products to health care providers, including ophthalmic surgeons, vision and surgical centers, hospitals, government facilities, and distributors, as well as products are primarily used by ophthalmologists. The company sells its products directly through its sales representatives in the United States, Japan, Germany, Spain, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, as well as through own representatives and independent distributors in China, Korea, India, France, Benelux, Italy, and internationally. STAAR Surgical Company was incorporated in 1982 and is headquartered in Lake Forest, California.
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