Commonwealth Equity Services LLC increased its stake in Badger Meter by 13.5% during the third quarter, acquiring an additional 8,387 shares to bring its total to 70,488 shares valued at $12.59 million. Other notable moves included Salomon & Ludwin LLC establishing a new position worth approximately $38,000, Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. boosting its stake by 170.5% to 165 shares (approximately $41,000), and Global X Japan Co. Ltd. increasing its position by 27.3% to 266 shares (approximately $48,000). Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and the Employees Retirement System of Texas each initiated positions valued at $49,000 and $54,000 respectively. Institutional and hedge fund ownership now stands at 89.01%.

In the most recent quarter, Badger Meter reported earnings per share of $1.19, surpassing consensus estimates by $0.08. Revenue climbed 13.1% year-over-year to $235.65 million, outperforming analysts’ forecast of $231.88 million. The company delivered a net margin of 15.40% and generated a return on equity of 21.12%, up from $1.08 EPS in the same period last year. Equities analysts project full-year EPS of 4.65.

Badger Meter declared a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share, paid on December 5 to shareholders of record as of November 21, translating to an annualized payout of $1.60 and a yield of 0.9%. The current payout ratio stands at 34.04%, marking the company’s 33rd consecutive year of dividend increases and underscoring its commitment to returning capital to shareholders.

Among research firms covering Badger Meter, one analyst holds a Strong Buy rating, four have issued Buy ratings, four maintain Hold ratings and one has a Sell rating. The consensus recommendation is Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $218.25. Recent actions include coverage initiation with a Buy rating and a $220 target, an Outperform rating with a $229 target, and a Neutral rating with a $205 target.