Earnings Preview: Becton, Dickinson and Company

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is expected to report Q4 earnings Wednesday, November 4 before the market opens, with a conference call scheduled for 10:00 am ET.

Guidance

Analysts are looking for EPS of $1.24 on revenue of $1.85B. The consensus range is $1.23-$1.25 for EPS and $1.81B-$1.91B for revenue, according to First Call. Positive trends for the company are highlighted by the company's relatively low exposure to healthcare reform. The company should also benefit from H1N1 exposure as well as growth in the market for detection of bacterial infections. However, the broader economic picture might hurt this quarters' earnings report as hospitals continue to cut back on spending.

Analyst Views

On September 30, Goldman Sachs initiated the stock with a Sell recommendation and a target of $69.