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Becton, Dickinson Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview
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BDX
Becton, Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) is scheduled to announce its fourth quarter earnings on Wednesday, November 7, 2012.
Earnings are perhaps the single most studied number in a company's financial statements because they show a company's profitability. SEE: 5 Tricks Companies Use During Earnings Season
What to Expect: Becton, Dickinson is expected to report $1.40 per share, up 0.7% from a year ago when the company reported earnings of $1.39 per share.
While down from $1.54 three months ago, the consensus estimate has remained unchanged over the past 30 days. Analysts are projecting earnings of $5.36 per share for the fiscal year.
Becton, Dickinson's expected revenue of $1.97 billion for the quarter is below last year's reported figure of $2.05 billion by 3.9%. Revenue for the fiscal year is expected to come in at $7.71 billion.
Company Performance: In the third quarter, Becton, Dickinson broke a three-quarter growth streak with a year-over-year decline in revenue. After rising 3.6%in the second quarter, 2.5% in the first quarter and 18.4% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year, it fell 1.7% in the most recent quarter.
The company has been profitable for the last eight quarters, but income has been falling for the last four by an average of 13.1% year-over-year.
BDX's P/E ratio is 13.7. There are generally two price/earnings ratios calculated: the first, called the trailing Price/Earnings ratio, is calculated using the previous years actual earnings; the second, called forward Price/Earnings ratio, is calculated using the next year's estimated earnings. A high P/E ratio indicates a stock that is expensive, while a low P/E ratio indicates a stock that is cheap. SEE: The P/E Ratio: A Good Market-Timing Indicator
The stock price has risen from $74.77 on August 6, 2012 to $76.28 over the past quarter. Becton, Dickinson's best recent streak was when its price gained $3.97 per share between August 29, 2012 and September 18, 2012.
The Competition: Becton, Dickinson & Company provides healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, and individual consumers with laboratory equipment, medical supplies, devices, and diagnostic products. The company's closest competitor in the medical equipment and supplies industry is Covidien (COV). Analysts are more optimistic about Becton, Dickinson than about Covidien. Only 15 out of 17 analysts rate the latter a buy compared to four of 17 for the former.
Earnings are perhaps the single most studied number in a company's financial statements because they show a company's profitability. SEE: 5 Tricks Companies Use During Earnings Season
What to Expect: Becton, Dickinson is expected to report $1.40 per share, up 0.7% from a year ago when the company reported earnings of $1.39 per share.
While down from $1.54 three months ago, the consensus estimate has remained unchanged over the past 30 days. Analysts are projecting earnings of $5.36 per share for the fiscal year.
Becton, Dickinson's expected revenue of $1.97 billion for the quarter is below last year's reported figure of $2.05 billion by 3.9%. Revenue for the fiscal year is expected to come in at $7.71 billion.
Company Performance: In the third quarter, Becton, Dickinson broke a three-quarter growth streak with a year-over-year decline in revenue. After rising 3.6%in the second quarter, 2.5% in the first quarter and 18.4% in the fourth quarter of the last fiscal year, it fell 1.7% in the most recent quarter.
BDX's P/E ratio is 13.7. There are generally two price/earnings ratios calculated: the first, called the trailing Price/Earnings ratio, is calculated using the previous years actual earnings; the second, called forward Price/Earnings ratio, is calculated using the next year's estimated earnings. A high P/E ratio indicates a stock that is expensive, while a low P/E ratio indicates a stock that is cheap. SEE: The P/E Ratio: A Good Market-Timing Indicator
The stock price has risen from $74.77 on August 6, 2012 to $76.28 over the past quarter. Becton, Dickinson's best recent streak was when its price gained $3.97 per share between August 29, 2012 and September 18, 2012.
The Competition: Becton, Dickinson & Company provides healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, and individual consumers with laboratory equipment, medical supplies, devices, and diagnostic products. The company's closest competitor in the medical equipment and supplies industry is Covidien (COV). Analysts are more optimistic about Becton, Dickinson than about Covidien. Only 15 out of 17 analysts rate the latter a buy compared to four of 17 for the former.
by
Investopedia Staff
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