Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) Price Target Raised to $245.00

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) had its price objective increased by Maxim Group from $235.00 to $245.00 in a research note released on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Badger Meter from $208.00 to $209.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Badger Meter from $184.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $218.75.

Badger Meter Trading Up 2.1 %

Badger Meter stock opened at $221.37 on Monday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $217.41 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $211.69. The firm has a market capitalization of $6.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 52.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.78. Badger Meter has a 1-year low of $139.50 and a 1-year high of $239.11.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.04 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.03. Badger Meter had a net margin of 15.12% and a return on equity of 21.77%. On average, research analysts forecast that Badger Meter will post 4.76 EPS for the current year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Investors of record on Friday, November 22nd were issued a dividend of $0.34 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 22nd. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.61%. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 32.15%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Congress Asset Management Co. raised its stake in shares of Badger Meter by 23.1% during the 4th quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. now owns 363,164 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $77,034,000 after purchasing an additional 68,137 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its position in Badger Meter by 6.2% during the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 338,198 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $73,866,000 after buying an additional 19,848 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in Badger Meter by 7.6% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 335,105 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $71,083,000 after buying an additional 23,606 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV raised its position in Badger Meter by 0.8% in the third quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 331,769 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $72,462,000 after acquiring an additional 2,515 shares during the period. Finally, Allianz Asset Management GmbH boosted its stake in Badger Meter by 2.2% in the fourth quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 212,024 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $44,975,000 after acquiring an additional 4,631 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other 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.