Becton Dickinson and Co vs Smith & Nephew plc — how do they compare? Becton Dickinson and Co trades at $181.29 (market cap $48.93B), while Smith & Nephew plc trades at $30.05 (market cap $12.50B). The key difference: Becton Dickinson and Co is far larger — about 3.9× Smith & Nephew plc's market cap, and Smith & Nephew plc pays the higher dividend (2.64%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BDX | SNN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $48.93B | $12.50B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $185.39 | $38.70 |
52-Week Low | $138.62 | $28.73 |
Enterprise Value | $65.03B | $15.53B |
Dividend Yield | 2.34% | 2.64% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
BDX (Becton, Dickinson and Company) trades at $176.86, down 0.12% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. The company reported Q3 2026 revenue of $5.0 billion, up 4.4% FX-neutral, and raised full-year guidance, though margins faced pressure. Analyst sentiment is mixed with a consensus price target of $183.00, while institutional ownership remains stable amid positive news on GLP-1 therapy expansions and dividend declarations.
The stock offers steady growth potential with a 2.7% dividend yield and consistent earnings outperformance, but risks include margin compression, regulatory recalls, and high valuation multiples. Near-term resistance at $180 and support at $173 will test bullish momentum, with the current price near the consensus target suggesting limited upside without further catalysts.
SNN trades at $30.11, up 1.41% in the last session. Technical indicators are bearish, with moving averages signaling a downtrend. Fundamentally, the company reported Q2 2026 revenue growth of 1.6% but cut its full-year outlook to 4% from 6% due to weakness in U.S. Orthopaedics and Advanced Wound Bioactives (MarketBeat, 2026-08-09). Recent product launches include the LYNX COBLATION Wand and CORI XT robotics platform, supporting innovation in medical technology.
The outlook is mixed: strong profitability margins and recent earnings beats offer support, but lowered guidance and bearish technicals pose near-term headwinds. Risks include execution challenges in key markets, while analyst consensus leans Hold, reflecting cautious optimism amid growth uncertainties.
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 →Smith & Nephew designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic devices, sports medicine and arthroscopic technologies, and wound-care solutions. Roughly 42% of the U.K.-based firm's revenue comes from orthopedic products, and another 30% is sports medicine and ENT. The remaining 28% of revenue is from the advanced wound therapy segment. Roughly half of Smith & Nephew's total revenue comes from the United States, just over 30% is from other developed markets, and emerging markets account for the remainder.
Read more on SNN →