Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) Receives $184.20 Average PT from Analysts

Shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the five brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $184.20.

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Argus upped their price target on Badger Meter from $204.00 to $218.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 23rd. StockNews.com downgraded Badger Meter from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, August 1st. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Badger Meter from $175.00 to $192.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, July 18th. Finally, Robert W. Baird upped their price target on Badger Meter from $180.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd.

Badger Meter Stock Performance

Shares of BMI opened at $209.08 on Wednesday. Badger Meter has a 52-week low of $134.06 and a 52-week high of $210.29. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $197.73 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $184.00. The firm has a market cap of $6.15 billion, a PE ratio of 58.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.75 and a beta of 0.77.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, July 19th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.03 by $0.09. Badger Meter had a return on equity of 21.42% and a net margin of 14.44%. The firm had revenue of $216.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $203.39 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.76 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 23.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Badger Meter will post 4.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, September 6th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 23rd were paid a $0.34 dividend. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.65%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 23rd. This is an increase from Badger Meter’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio is 39.19%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Badger Meter

In other Badger Meter news, VP Kimberly K. Stoll sold 1,097 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $205.00, for a total value of $224,885.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 3,861 shares in the company, valued at approximately $791,505. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BMI. Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Badger Meter during the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Badger Meter during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Badger Meter by 2,633.3% during the 1st quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 492 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $80,000 after purchasing an additional 474 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in Badger Meter by 46.3% during the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 499 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $93,000 after purchasing an additional 158 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its holdings in Badger Meter by 40.9% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 575 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $107,000 after purchasing an additional 167 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.01% of the company’s stock.

Badger Meter Company Profile

Badger Meter, Inc manufactures and markets flow measurement, quality, control, and communication solutions worldwide. It offers mechanical or static water meters, and related radio and software technologies and services to municipal water utilities market. The company also provides flow instrumentation products, including meters, valves, and other sensing instruments to measure and control fluids going through a pipe or pipeline, including water, air, steam, and other liquids and gases to original equipment manufacturers as the primary flow measurement device within a product or system, as well as through manufacturers' representatives.