Trillium Asset Management LLC Takes $3.75 Million Position in Badger Meter, Inc. $BMI

Trillium Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 25,277 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,751,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in BMI. N.E.W. Advisory Services LLC purchased a new stake in Badger Meter during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 76.5% in the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 150 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Godfrey Financial Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Dunhill Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the second quarter worth $28,000. Finally, Frazier Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the second quarter worth $30,000. 89.01% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Badger Meter Price Performance

NYSE BMI opened at $128.13 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.94, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.65. Badger Meter, Inc. has a 1-year low of $112.09 and a 1-year high of $204.00. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $137.47 and its 200-day moving average price is $139.20.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 22nd. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.02 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $220.30 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $220.59 million. Badger Meter had a return on equity of 18.03% and a net margin of 14.27%.Badger Meter’s revenue was down 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.17 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Badger Meter, Inc. will post 4.43 EPS for the current year.

Badger Meter Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 11th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 28th will be given a $0.44 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 28th. This is a positive change from Badger Meter’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.40. This represents a $1.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.4%. Badger Meter’s payout ratio is 37.38%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities research analysts recently commented on BMI shares. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their price objective on Badger Meter from $169.00 to $162.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Wall Street Zen lowered Badger Meter from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 13th. Barclays restated an “underweight” rating and set a $112.00 target price (up from $109.00) on shares of Badger Meter in a research note on Tuesday, July 28th. Maxim Group downgraded shares of Badger Meter from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, April 23rd. Finally, Robert W. Baird set a $167.00 price target on shares of Badger Meter and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Badger Meter currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $164.00.

Insider Transactions at Badger Meter

In other news, VP Edward F. Callahan purchased 751 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 30th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $135.25 per share, for a total transaction of $101,572.75. Following the purchase, the vice president directly owned 1,937 shares in the company, valued at $261,979.25. This trade represents a 63.32% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 1.00% of the company’s stock.

Badger Meter Company Profile

Badger Meter, founded in 1905 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader in flow measurement and control solutions. The company’s core business centers on the design, manufacture and sale of water meters, control valves and related accessories for municipal and industrial water utilities. Over its more than a century of operation, Badger Meter has built a reputation for precision engineering, durability and compliance with international regulatory standards.

The company’s product portfolio includes mechanical and ultrasonic water meters, electromagnetic flow meters for industrial applications, and a range of control valves that help utilities manage pressure and flow in distribution networks.