Piper Sandler Downgrades Becton, Dickinson to Neutral; Analysts See Upside Potential

Fintel reports that on May 2, 2025, Piper Sandler downgraded its outlook for Becton, Dickinson and Company (XTRA: BOX) from Overweight to Neutral.

Analysts Project Significant Price Increase

As of April 23, 2025, the average one-year price target for Becton, Dickinson stands at 239.15 €/share. This target range varies, with estimates stretching from a low of 214.85 € to a high of 293.11 €. The average price target indicates a potential upside of 32.72% from the most recent closing price of 180.20 € per share.

Projected Financial Performance

Becton, Dickinson’s expected annual revenue is 21,727 million €, reflecting a 4.12% increase. Additionally, analysts anticipate a non-GAAP EPS of 15.17 for the year.

Fund Ownership Sentiment

Currently, 2,549 funds and institutions report positions in Becton, Dickinson, a rise of 76 owners or 3.07% in the past quarter. The average portfolio weight of all funds invested in BOX is 0.39%, which has increased by 1.75%. In the last three months, institutional ownership of shares has grown by 2.64%, now totaling 305,222K shares.

Notable Shareholder Moves

Price T Rowe Associates holds 12,347K shares, representing 4.30% ownership of Becton, Dickinson. This reflects a decrease from 13,598K shares reported earlier—a decline of 10.14%. Over the last quarter, the firm reduced its portfolio allocation in BOX by 14.46%.

T. Rowe Price Investment Management has increased its stake, now owning 12,127K shares or 4.22% of the company. This is up from 8,907K shares, marking a 26.55% increase in ownership. The firm enhanced its portfolio allocation in BOX by 31.05% over the previous quarter.

Furthermore, VTSMX – Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares reports holding 9,058K shares for a 3.15% ownership, a slight decrease from the previous 9,160K shares, down by 1.13%. Its portfolio allocation in BOX also fell by 8.31% in the last quarter.

PRWCX – T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Fund holds 7,982K shares, representing 2.78% ownership. This is an increase from 5,911K shares, showing a growth of 25.95% over the quarter. The firm’s portfolio allocation in BOX rose by 28.94% as well.

Finally, VFINX – Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares also slightly increased its holdings to 7,824K shares (2.72% ownership) from 7,570K shares, reflecting a 3.25% rise. However, the firm reduced its portfolio allocation in BOX by 7.99% over the past quarter.

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Nasdaq, Inc.