Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) Downgraded by Argus to Hold

Argus downgraded shares of Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Monday morning, Marketbeat reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on BMI. Barclays set a $136.00 price target on shares of Badger Meter and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on Badger Meter from $220.00 to $200.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “hold” rating and set a $167.00 price objective on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Thursday. Robert W. Baird set a $165.00 price objective on Badger Meter in a report on Thursday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus set a $166.00 target price on Badger Meter and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Badger Meter has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $181.88.

Badger Meter Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BMI opened at $151.67 on Monday. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $174.24 and its 200 day simple moving average is $180.49. The company has a market cap of $4.47 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.60, a PEG ratio of 2.33 and a beta of 0.90. Badger Meter has a one year low of $139.14 and a one year high of $256.08.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 28th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.14 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.15 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $220.71 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $232.30 million. Badger Meter had a net margin of 15.45% and a return on equity of 20.71%. The firm’s revenue was up 7.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.04 EPS. Analysts predict that Badger Meter will post 4.65 earnings per share for the current year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 21st were given a $0.40 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 21st. This represents a $1.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 33.33%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Badger Meter

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in Badger Meter during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the 3rd quarter valued at about $31,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. grew its position in shares of Badger Meter by 62.3% during the 3rd quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 185 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 71 shares during the last quarter. Salomon & Ludwin LLC acquired a new stake in Badger Meter during the third quarter worth about $38,000. Finally, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. lifted its holdings in Badger Meter by 170.5% in the second quarter. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. now owns 165 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $41,000 after acquiring an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. 89.01% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Badger Meter Company Profile

Badger Meter, founded in 1905 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader in flow measurement and control solutions. The company’s core business centers on the design, manufacture and sale of water meters, control valves and related accessories for municipal and industrial water utilities. Over its more than a century of operation, Badger Meter has built a reputation for precision engineering, durability and compliance with international regulatory standards.

The company’s product portfolio includes mechanical and ultrasonic water meters, electromagnetic flow meters for industrial applications, and a range of control valves that help utilities manage pressure and flow in distribution networks.