Becton Dickinson and Co vs Hormel Foods Corp — how do they compare? Becton Dickinson and Co trades at $181.29 (market cap $49.41B), while Hormel Foods Corp trades at $24.3 (market cap $13.37B). The key difference: Becton Dickinson and Co is far larger — about 3.7× Hormel Foods Corp's market cap, and Hormel Foods Corp pays the higher dividend (4.81%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BDX | HRL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $49.41B | $13.37B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $185.39 | $29.25 |
52-Week Low | $138.62 | $19.74 |
Enterprise Value | $65.51B | $15.37B |
Dividend Yield | 2.32% | 4.81% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
BDX trades at $183.71, up 2.27% today, near its consensus price target of $183.00. The stock shows bullish technical signals with strong moving averages, though RSI indicates overbought conditions. Fundamentally, revenue grew to $21.84 billion in 2025, with consistent earnings beats in recent quarters, including Q3 2026 EPS of $3.23 beating estimates. The company maintains a dividend of $1.05 per share and recently raised full-year guidance, reflecting operational strength amid tariff pressures.
Outlook remains positive with raised profit guidance and segment growth, but risks include margin pressure from tariffs and a product recall. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 47% buy ratings, suggesting cautious optimism. The stock offers stability as a Dividend Aristocrat with growth catalysts from medical technology advancements, though investors should monitor margin trends and competitive dynamics.
Hormel Foods (HRL) trades at $24.41, down 1.21% on the day, with a bearish technical outlook despite recent earnings beats. The stock shows mixed fundamentals with a P/E of 28.6x and modest 3.8% net margin, while revenue has been stable around $12B annually. Recent corporate developments include the appointment of John Ghingo as CEO and the sale of its Brazilian CERATTI business, signaling strategic refocusing.
HRL offers defensive appeal with consistent dividends and a 4.6% yield, but faces margin pressure and modest growth prospects. Analyst consensus is Hold with a $26.33 price target, suggesting limited upside. Key risks include consumer spending sensitivity and execution challenges under new leadership.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Becton, Dickinson is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of medical surgical products, such as needles, syringes, and sharps-disposal units. The company also manufactures diagnostic instruments and reagents, as well as flow cytometry and cell-imaging systems. BD Interventional (largely the former Bard business) accounts for 23% of revenue. International revenue accounts for 44% of the company's business.
Read more on BDX →Hormel Foods is a protein-focused branded food company. Its brands include its namesake Hormel, Spam, Jennie-O, Dinty Moore, Applegate, Wholly Guacamole, and Skippy. The vast majority of the company's revenue is U.S.-based: 64% U.S. retail, 28% U.S. food service, and 8% international. By product type, in fiscal 2021, 23% of revenue was shelf-stable foods, 18% was poultry (branded and commodity), 55% was other perishable food, and 3% was other, primarily nutritional products. The company holds the number-one market position in shelf-stable meat, shelf-stable ready meals, pepperoni, natural/organic deli meat, and guacamole and the number-two position in turkey, bacon, chilled ready meals, and peanut butter.
Read more on HRL →