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Why Is Becton Dickinson (BDX) Up 3.4% Since Last Earnings Report?

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A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Becton Dickinson (BDX - Free Report) . Shares have added about 3.4% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Becton Dickinson due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

BD Q4 Earnings Beat, International Revenues Up Y/Y

BD posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2018 earnings of per share $2.93, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny. The bottom line improved 22.1% on a year-over-year basis and 24.6% cc.

BD raked in revenues of $4.4 billion and outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.36 billion. The reported figure surged 39% from the year-ago quarter, primarily owing to the acquisition of C. R. Bard. At cc, revenues rose 8.4%.

Fiscal 2018 at a Glance

For fiscal 2018, BD’s worldwide revenues totaled $15.98 billion, which trumped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $15.94 billion. The top line increased 32.2% from the prior year’s tally, courtesy of the acquisition of C.R. Bard. At cc, revenues grew 5.8%.

Adjusted earnings per share of $11.01 were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. The metric also rose 16.1% from the year-ago figure and 12.3% at cc.

Segment Details

BD Medical

In the quarter under review, BD Medical posted worldwide revenues of $2.35 billion, up 20.7% from the year-ago quarter and 10.1% at cc. The upside was driven by strength in the Medication Delivery Solutions, Medication Management Solutions and Pharmaceutical systems. Per management, the improvement can be attributed to the C.R. Bard acquisition.

BD Life Sciences

Worldwide revenues in the segment totaled $1.11 billion, up 5.4% year over year and 6.9% at cc. Per management, revenues were strong across the Preanalytical Systems, Diagnostic Systems and Biosciences units.

BD Interventional

This segment posted worldwide revenues of $0.95 billion, significantly up from the year-ago $172 million. At cc, the segment grew 6%. Surgery, Peripheral Intervention and Urology and Critical care revenues skyrocketed in the fourth quarter.

Geographic Results

US

In the reported quarter, revenues in the United States shot up 48.9% to $2.45 billion. Revenues grew 8.7% at cc. Per management, revenue growth in the United States was primarily driven by very strong performance by the Medication Management Solutions and Pharmaceutical Systems units within the BD Medical segment.

For full year, domestic revenues totaled $8.77 billion, up 34.8% on a year-over-year basis and 5% at cc.

International

Revenues outside the United States grossed $1.95 billion, up 28.4% from the year-ago quarter and 7.9% at cc. Per management, overseas revenue growth was backed by strong performance across all three segments in the fourth quarter.

For the full year, international revenues totaled $7.22 billion, up 29.1% on a year-over-year basis and 7% at cc.

Margin Analysis

In the fiscal fourth quarter, gross profit amounted to $2.09 billion, up 34.6% from the prior-year quarter tally. Gross margin was 47.5%, down 160 basis points (bps).

Operating income in the quarter grossed $570 million, reflecting an improvement of 28.7% from the prior-year quarter.

Adjusted operating income totaled $710 million, up 27% on a year-over-year basis. As a percentage of revenues, operating margin in the quarter was 16.1%, which contracted 160 bps year over year.

Guidance

On a reported basis, BD expects fiscal 2019 revenues to increase 8.5-9.5%, primarily owing to the C. R. Bard acquisition. At cc, the same metric is anticipated to increase 5-6%.

For fiscal 2019, adjusted earnings per share are projected between $12.05 and $12.15, reflecting growth of 13-14% at cc.

Notably, fiscal 2019 earnings per share expectations include high-single digit accretion from the C. R. Bard buyout.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in fresh estimates. The consensus estimate has shifted -5.63% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Becton Dickinson has a nice Growth Score of B, though it is lagging a lot on the Momentum Score front with a D. Charting a somewhat similar path, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. Notably, Becton Dickinson has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.


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