Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX)
Becton, Dickinson and Company is a global medical technology giant that makes the essential tools, like syringes and diagnostic kits, used in hospitals every day.
Is Becton, Dickinson and Company a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: Becton, Dickinson and Company is a global medical technology giant that makes the essential tools, like syringes and diagnostic kits, used in hospitals every day.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Expansion into high-growth emerging markets
Significant regulatory hurdles or product recalls
What does Becton, Dickinson and Company do?
Think of Becton, Dickinson as the backbone of the medical supply chain, providing everything from needles and blood collection tubes to complex diagnostic machines. Their earnings come from selling these high-volume, essential items to healthcare providers across the globe. Pay attention to how they manage their costs and integrate new technology, since their business relies on being the go-to supplier for routine medical care.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on value and momentum, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.5% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 5% over the year
- Essential products that hospitals need regardless of the economy
- Long history of paying dividends to shareholders
- Low volatility compared to the broader market
- Growth screens low (30/100)
- Heavy reliance on hospital and government spending budgets
- Potential for product recalls or safety litigation
- Pressure from cheaper generic medical device manufacturers
What do Becton, Dickinson and Company's numbers mean?
How much money does Becton, Dickinson and Company make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Becton, Dickinson and Company pay a dividend?
Yes - Becton, Dickinson and Company currently pays a dividend of about 2.5% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does Becton, Dickinson and Company report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Becton, Dickinson and Company is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-06 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-07 | $2.77 | $2.90 | Beat +5% |
| 2026-02-09 | $2.80 | $2.91 | Beat +4% |
| 2025-11-06 | $3.91 | $3.96 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-08-07 | $3.40 | $3.68 | Beat +8% |
| 2025-05-01 | $3.28 | $3.35 | Beat +2% |
| 2025-02-05 | $2.99 | $3.43 | Beat +15% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Becton, Dickinson and Company came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.What are the scenarios for Becton, Dickinson and Company?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Becton, Dickinson and Company?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Essential products that hospitals need regardless of the economy
- Long history of paying dividends to shareholders
- Low volatility compared to the broader market
- Low net profit margins suggest high operating costs
- Modest revenue growth compared to high-tech sectors
- Return on equity is relatively low for a large company
- Heavy reliance on hospital and government spending budgets
- Potential for product recalls or safety litigation
- Pressure from cheaper generic medical device manufacturers
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, sustained drop in global hospital procedure volumes
- A major shift in healthcare technology that makes their core products obsolete
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.