Bullish case
$210 - $240
Accelerated smart water meter adoption, federal infrastructure spending boosts municipal budgets, gross margins expand above 40%, and P/E re-rates toward 35x on sustained 15%+ EPS growth.
Badger Meter, Inc. research snapshot
BMI AI stock analysis reads Badger Meter, Inc. as a niche industrial technology company with strong water infrastructure exposure, recurring software revenue growth, a century-long brand in flow measurement, and a premium valuation that limits near-term upside. The analysis uses scenario ranges, not a certain price prediction. At the July 12, 2026 data cutoff, the latest verified close used here was $144.18, down roughly 44% from the June 2025 all-time high of $256.08, with an implied market capitalization of about $4.21 billion. This is informational research and not investment advice.
Current price
$144.18
Market cap
$4.21 billion
AI score
58 / 100
Rating
Premium valuation, water infrastructure tailwind
Trend status
Recovering from ATH decline, below key MAs
Data cutoff (updated weekly)
July 12, 2026
Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.
| Dimension | Conclusion | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Business quality | Badger Meter designs, manufactures, and markets flow measurement, control, and communication solutions for water utilities, municipalities, and industrial customers worldwide. | High |
| Moat | Moat comes from 120 years of brand trust, installed base of meters and endpoints, proprietary BEACON software platform, regulatory certifications, and long-term municipal contracts with switching costs. | Medium-high |
| Management | Kenneth C. Bockhorst has been CEO since 2020, with a background in the company. Capital allocation includes bolt-on acquisitions like UDlive (2025) and consistent R&D investment. | Medium |
| Financial trend | Revenue grew from ~$660M in 2021 to ~$917M in FY2025 (CAGR ~8.6%). Net income grew from ~$90M to ~$142M over the same period. Gross margins have been stable in the high 30% range. | High |
| Valuation | At 32.4x TTM P/E and 41.2x P/FCF, the stock trades at a premium to the industrial sector median. The premium reflects growth expectations from smart water adoption and potential acquisition value. | Medium |
| Technical trend | The stock is down 44% from its June 2025 ATH of $256.08. It has been recovering from the 2026 lows near $125 and is testing resistance levels around $150-$160. | Medium |
| Risk level | Moderate. Key risks include municipal budget cycles affecting capital spending, raw material cost inflation, interest rate sensitivity (negative beta implies non-correlation), and valuation multiple compression. | Medium |
| AI confidence | Medium-high for financial data quality; lower for forward-looking assessments due to the limited analyst coverage pool. | Medium-high |
| Investment certainty | Medium-low. The business fundamentals are solid, but the entry price after a severe drawdown requires conviction in the water infrastructure growth narrative. | Medium-low |
BMI AI stock forecast
BMI AI stock forecast scenarios are based on EPS growth trajectories, potential P/E multiple re-rating, and water infrastructure spending trends. All scenarios are ranges, not price predictions.
$210 - $240
Accelerated smart water meter adoption, federal infrastructure spending boosts municipal budgets, gross margins expand above 40%, and P/E re-rates toward 35x on sustained 15%+ EPS growth.
$150 - $180
Steady mid-single-digit organic growth, stable margins, bolt-on acquisitions add 2-3% to revenue, and P/E holds around 28x as the market prices in a gradual water infrastructure recovery.
$95 - $120
Municipal budget tightening delays meter upgrade cycles, raw material inflation compresses margins, competitors gain share, and P/E contracts toward 22x on slower growth expectations.
BMI AI technical analysis
BMI AI technical analysis uses chart data from the weekly timeframe as of July 12, 2026. The stock has been in a downtrend since the June 2025 ATH but shows signs of basing near $135-$140.
| Level | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance | $160 | Prior support from late 2024, now acting as resistance. A clean break above $160 with volume would signal a trend reversal. |
| Resistance | $200 | The 200-day moving average is near this level. Recovery past $200 would confirm a bullish trend change. |
| Support | $135 | Recent swing low area from early July 2026. Holding above this level is critical for the recovery thesis. |
| Support | $125 | The June 2026 low. A break below this level would suggest the downtrend is continuing toward the $100-$110 zone. |
| Moving averages | 50 DMA near $175 | Price is below the 50-day moving average, indicating short-term bearish momentum. The 200 DMA is near $200, well above current price. |
| Momentum | RSI near 42 | The weekly RSI is in neutral territory, not oversold. Room for further downside before reaching oversold conditions. |
| Volume | Below average | Recent weeks show declining volume, which can indicate exhaustion selling but also lack of buying conviction. |
| Volatility | Elevated | The stock had a 44% peak-to-trough decline over 13 months, indicating high volatility. Implied volatility remains above historical norms. |
| Invalidation | Below $125 | If BMI breaks below the June 2026 low of $125, the bearish case becomes more probable, and the next major support is near $100. |
BMI AI trading strategy
BMI AI trading strategy provides educational frameworks, not personalized recommendations. Any trading decisions should consider individual risk tolerance and financial situation.
Wait for a confirmed break above the 50-day moving average ($175) with above-average volume. Enter on a pullback to the 50 DMA. Target: $200 (200 DMA). Invalidated if price falls back below $160.
Place a stop-loss at $155 (below the prior resistance-turned-support). Risk no more than 2% of capital per trade.
If BMI approaches the $125 support zone with RSI below 35 (oversold), consider a mean-reversion long. Target $155-$160 (prior resistance). Timeframe: 4-8 weeks.
Stop-loss at $119 (5% below the June 2026 low). Position size should account for the possibility of a breakdown to $100.
Given the negative beta (-0.46), BMI moves independently of broad market direction, which makes it a poor hedge and requires dedicated position sizing. The stock is in a clear downtrend on the multi-month timeframe, so short positions should consider the risk of sharp bear-market rallies.
Use a trailing stop of 10% on any long position. Monitor municipal bond market conditions for clues about future water infrastructure spending.
Investment research summary
Badger Meter sells the hardware and software that water utilities use to measure, monitor, and manage water distribution. Customers pay for meters (hardware), endpoints (communication), and BEACON software (SaaS). The business benefits from regulatory mandates for water conservation and smart metering adoption.
With 120 years of history, Badger Meter has deep relationships with municipal water utilities. Switching costs are meaningful: once a utility deploys Badger meters and the BEACON software platform, ripping them out for a competitor is disruptive and expensive. The ORION cellular endpoint is IoT-certified for critical infrastructure, creating a compliance barrier.
The thesis fails if: (1) municipal budgets tighten for an extended period, delaying meter replacement cycles; (2) low-cost competitors from Asia gain traction with price-disruptive offerings; (3) the smart water narrative fades as a political priority; (4) the stock was simply overvalued at $256 and the current price still has further to fall.
CEO Kenneth C. Bockhorst has led since 2020, maintaining R&D spending and executing bolt-on acquisitions. The 2025 UDlive acquisition expands sewer monitoring capabilities. Management has maintained a consistent dividend (currently $0.40/quarter) and has not diluted shareholders with excessive equity issuance.
Water infrastructure is a long-term secular trend driven by aging pipes, population growth, climate resilience, and federal infrastructure funding. Smart water metering is still in early adoption stages in many regions, providing a multi-year growth runway. However, municipal spending is cyclical and subject to political budget cycles.
At $144.18, BMI trades at 32.4x TTM earnings and 41.2x free cash flow. The three-scenario model suggests: bull case (15% EPS growth, 35x PE) targets ~$237; base case (10% growth, 28x PE) targets ~$166; bear case (5% growth, 22x PE) targets ~$113. Current price offers a limited margin of safety relative to the base case.
Source-backed data
Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.
| Metric | Value | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current price | $144.18 | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
| Market capitalization | $4.21 billion | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 32.4x | TradingView / verify-valuation tool | July 12, 2026 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.45 | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
| Revenue (FY2025) | $916.66 million | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
| Net income (FY2025) | $141.63 million | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
| Shares outstanding | 29.2 million | TradingView / market-cap verification | July 12, 2026 |
| All-time high | $256.08 (Jun 3, 2025) | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
| CEO | Kenneth C. Bockhorst | TradingView / Badger Meter website | July 12, 2026 |
| Employees | ~2,480 | TradingView | July 12, 2026 |
This BMI AI stock analysis page is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. All analyses, forecasts, and scenarios are based on publicly available data as of July 12, 2026, and may contain errors or omissions. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Trading stocks involves risk of loss. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions.
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