Avior Wealth Management LLC Buys 268 Shares of Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI)

Avior Wealth Management LLC increased its stake in Badger Meter, Inc. (NYSE:BMI) by 2.6% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 10,754 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after purchasing an additional 268 shares during the quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Badger Meter were worth $2,281,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. ORG Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Badger Meter during the 4th quarter valued at $42,000. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in Badger Meter by 1,016.7% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 201 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $44,000 after acquiring an additional 183 shares during the period. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in Badger Meter by 61.3% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 805 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $176,000 after purchasing an additional 306 shares during the last quarter. Annex Advisory Services LLC bought a new position in Badger Meter during the third quarter worth about $204,000. Finally, Magnetar Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of Badger Meter in the second quarter worth about $207,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.01% of the company’s stock.

Badger Meter Price Performance

NYSE BMI opened at $219.14 on Friday. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $218.20 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $210.28. Badger Meter, Inc. has a 1 year low of $139.50 and a 1 year high of $239.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $6.44 billion, a PE ratio of 54.38, a P/E/G ratio of 2.43 and a beta of 0.79.

Badger Meter Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, December 6th. Investors of record on Friday, November 22nd were given a $0.34 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 22nd. This represents a $1.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.62%. Badger Meter’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 33.75%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

BMI has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Maxim Group upped their price target on shares of Badger Meter from $216.00 to $235.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Robert W. Baird raised their price target on Badger Meter from $184.00 to $203.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, October 18th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Badger Meter from $203.00 to $208.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Badger Meter presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $216.00.

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.