Pictet Asset Management Holding SA Boosts Stock Position in Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI)

Pictet Asset Management Holding SA boosted its stake in shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) by 5,897.0% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 235,322 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after buying an additional 231,398 shares during the period. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA owned approximately 0.80% of Badger Meter worth $49,917,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 0.8% during the fourth quarter. U.S. Capital Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,204 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $1,316,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors increased its stake in Badger Meter by 4.2% during the 4th quarter. Bay Colony Advisory Group Inc d b a Bay Colony Advisors now owns 1,271 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $270,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Badger Meter by 1.1% in the third quarter. HighTower Advisors LLC now owns 5,312 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,165,000 after buying an additional 56 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System raised its holdings in Badger Meter by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 8,536 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock worth $1,811,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Synovus Financial Corp grew its holdings in shares of Badger Meter by 4.6% during the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 2,211 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $483,000 after buying an additional 98 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.01% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Maxim Group upped their price objective on Badger Meter from $235.00 to $245.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus upped their price target on Badger Meter from $208.00 to $209.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada initiated coverage on Badger Meter in a report on Thursday. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $251.00 price objective for the company. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $225.20.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Kenneth Bockhorst sold 1,165 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.13, for a total value of $247,131.45. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 52,620 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,162,280.60. This trade represents a 2.17 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, VP William R. A. Bergum sold 148 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.13, for a total value of $31,395.24. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 14,051 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,980,638.63. This trade represents a 1.04 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 20,949 shares of company stock valued at $4,398,407 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.80% of the company’s stock.

Badger Meter Stock Performance

Badger Meter stock opened at $189.86 on Friday. Badger Meter, Inc. has a one year low of $151.18 and a one year high of $239.11. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $208.55 and a 200 day moving average of $213.62. The stock has a market cap of $5.58 billion, a PE ratio of 44.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.89 and a beta of 0.83.

Badger Meter (NYSE:BMI) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 31st. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.04 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.03. Badger Meter had a net margin of 15.12% and a return on equity of 21.77%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Badger Meter, Inc. will post 4.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 14th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a dividend of $0.34 per share. This represents a $1.36 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.72%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 28th. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio is presently 32.15%.

Badger Meter Company Profile

Badger Meter, Inc manufactures and markets flow measurement, quality, control, and communication solutions worldwide. It offers mechanical or static water meters, and related radio and software technologies and services to municipal water utilities market. The company also provides flow instrumentation products, including meters, valves, and other sensing instruments to measure and control fluids going through a pipe or pipeline, including water, air, steam, and other liquids and gases to original equipment manufacturers as the primary flow measurement device within a product or system, as well as through manufacturers' representatives.