Investing.com - Argus lowered its price target on Becton Dickinson shares (NYSE:BDX) to $180 from $230 while maintaining a Buy rating. The stock currently trades at $154.13, roughly 34% below its 52-week high of $231.82.
The research firm cited recent market turbulence as the reason for reducing its price target. Argus continues to favor the company’s strategy of focusing on faster-growing opportunities in the Medical and Interventional segments following the divestiture of its Biosciences and Diagnostics business.
The sale to Waters Corp. provides $4 billion in cash that can be used for stock repurchasing, debt repayment, and internal investments, according to Argus.
Becton Dickinson has increased its dividend for 55 consecutive years, according to InvestingPro data. The company now pays a dividend at the annualized rate of $4.20 for a yield of 2.72%. InvestingPro analysis indicates the stock is currently undervalued, with shares available among the platform’s Most Undervalued opportunities. For deeper insights, investors can access BDX’s comprehensive Pro Research Report, one of 1,400+ available for top US equities.
Argus analyst David Toung issued the revised price target while reiterating the firm’s positive outlook on the medical technology company.
In other recent news, Becton Dickinson reported fiscal first-quarter 2026 results with revenue reaching $5,252 million, marking a 0.4% year-over-year increase on a constant currency basis. This performance surpassed both Wall Street’s expectations of $5,147 million and the company’s guidance for low-single-digit organic sales declines. Additionally, Becton Dickinson announced tender offers to purchase up to $1.6 billion of its outstanding debt securities, covering 15 different series with varying maturity dates. The 6.700% Senior Notes due 2026 were given the highest acceptance priority level in these offers.
Becton Dickinson also received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Surgiphor 1000mL antimicrobial irrigation system, designed for surgical procedures. Meanwhile, RBC Capital lowered its price target for Becton Dickinson to $172, maintaining a Sector Perform rating, following the company’s better-than-expected earnings. Piper Sandler also adjusted its price target to $170, citing growth concerns, while maintaining a Neutral rating. These recent developments reflect ongoing evaluations by analysts and strategic financial moves by the company.
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