Becton Dickinson Vitals Drop: Analysts 'Have Been Wrong' On This Med Tech Stock For Years

Core Viewpoint - Becton Dickinson has lowered its fiscal year 2025 guidance, reflecting challenges in organic revenue growth despite reporting adjusted earnings per share that exceeded expectations [1][2][4]. Financial Performance - The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.35 for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, an increase from $3.17 a year ago, beating the consensus estimate of $3.28 [1]. - First-quarter sales were $5.27 billion, representing a year-over-year increase of 4.5%, but fell short of the consensus estimate of $5.35 billion [1]. Guidance and Market Outlook - Becton Dickinson expects fiscal 2025 revenues to be between $21.8 billion and $21.9 billion, with updated organic revenue growth guidance of 3.0% to 3.5% [2]. - The company's previous guidance was $21.7 billion to $21.9 billion, indicating a slight improvement in the estimated impact of foreign currency [2]. Analyst Ratings and Market Reactions - Goldman Sachs downgraded Becton Dickinson from Buy to Neutral, reducing the price target from $256 to $192, citing a 25% decline in stock value since being added to the Buy list [3][8]. - William Blair also downgraded the stock to Market Perform, expressing disappointment with the fiscal second-quarter update and the lack of predictable revenue growth [6][8]. Growth Challenges - Analysts noted that Becton Dickinson's growth is closely tied to overall market growth, which has slowed, impacting the company's growth targets [5]. - The forward outlook for organic revenue growth has decreased from approximately 5-6% two years ago to around 3-4%, placing Becton Dickinson at the low end of the MedTech sector [4][5]. Future Catalysts - Analysts are looking for greater confidence in a reacceleration of organic growth, with fiscal 2026 guidance and updates on the separation of the Bioscience and Diagnostics business seen as key catalysts [7][8].