Earnings Preview: Becton, Dickinson & Company's EPS, Revenue Expected to Rise

Becton, Dickinson & Company BDX unveils its next round of earnings this Wednesday, November 2, 2011. Get the latest predictions in Benzinga's essential guide to the company's fourth quarter earnings report.

Earnings and Revenue:

Ahead of the company's earnings announcement, analysts are expecting a positive EPS reading of $1.39/share and revenues of $2.02 billion. Becton, Dickinson & Company's latest numbers will no doubt be compared with the company's year-ago quarter, when it reported a profit of $1.24/share on revenues of $1.87 billion. We'll have to wait for Wednesday to see if the company falls in line with analyst expectations and reports an estimated increase in both EPS and revenue from the year-ago quarter.

Here's how the company's reported EPS has stacked up against analyst estimates in the past:

Stock Performance:

As of October 27, 2011, Becton, Dickinson & Company's current share price was $78.67. Shares are down 5.5% year to date. For a full 12 months, the return has declined by 5%. Given that these returns are generally negative, long-term shareholders are probably a little upset going into this earnings release.

• Long-term shareholders are already wary of 12-month losses prior to the announcement

Average Stock Rating:

The average rating by analysts is a Hold. Over the past three months this rating's strength has declined slightly.

Competitors:

Looking for a sympathy stock to trade or interested in the performance of other companies in the same sector? Take a look at some of Becton, Dickinson & Company's peers.

• C.R. Bard BCR: Hold with a $1.62 recent quarter EPS
• Bio-Rad Laboratories BIO: Moderate Buy with a $1.41 recent quarter EPS
• Covidien COV: Moderate Buy with a $1.01 recent quarter EPS
• Gen-Probe GPRO: Hold with a $0.51 recent quarter EPS

Becton, Dickinson and is in the medical/dental supplies industry, which has experienced price/earnings growth of 0.8%.

Finally, a description of the company's main areas of operation: Becton, Dickinson & Company provides healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, and individual consumers with laboratory equipment, medical supplies, devices, and diagnostic products.

Take Action:

Now that you've gotten an advanced peak at Becton, Dickinson & Company upcoming earnings numbers, keep an eye out for any surprises in the report and be ready to take action. Also, check back in with us after the announcement for a full recap and a guide to your next steps.

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