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Becton Dickinson & Co.: Q4 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 5 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Q4 revenue up 5.4% as reported: Revenue was $5,274 million against $5,005 million a year earlier, up 5.4% as reported and 5.6% currency-neutral. Source
  • Adjusted EPS $12.70 for fiscal 2026: Fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was $12.70, up 6.7% as reported and 5.7% currency-neutral; GAAP diluted EPS was $5.06. Source
  • Connected Care growth slowed: Connected Care revenue was $1,269 million, up 2.1% currency-neutral; Medication Management Solutions fell 2.3% while Advanced Patient Monitoring rose 15.0% as reported. Source
  • Free cash flow up 42.5%: Fiscal 2026 cash from continuing operations was $3,605 million, up 30.0%; after $672 million of capital expenditures, free cash flow was $2,933 million. Source
  • Planned $19 billion US investment: Planned spending is $19 billion over several years, of which $3 billion is for manufacturing expansion, covering capital, operations and supply chain. Source

“We delivered a strong fourth quarter, with 5.6% revenue growth and broad-based performance led by our key growth platforms,”

Tom Polen, chairman, CEO and president of BD

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue growth (GAAP) SourceFiscal 2027Low single-digitNew
Revenue growth (FXN) SourceFiscal 2027Low single-digitNew
Adjusted diluted EPS SourceFiscal 2027$13.10 to $13.30New
Adjusted diluted EPS growth SourceFiscal 2027 versus fiscal 2026+3.1% to +4.7%New
Illustrative FX impact on revenue growth SourceFiscal 2027~(70) basis pointsNew

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Fiscal 2027 guidance was issued in this release, in place of the fiscal 2026 guidance given on August 6, 2026. Source
  • New: A partnership with the U.S. Government was announced to expand domestic manufacturing and supply chain resilience for medical consumables. Source
  • New: Under the partnership, tariff relief under Section 232 was provided for covered BD products and inputs. Source
  • New: The Liverty TIPS stent graft launched in the U.S. for portal hypertension, building on prior European use. Source

Fourth quarter and full-year results

  • Q4 revenue up 5.4% as reported: Revenue was $5,274 million against $5,005 million a year earlier, up 5.4% as reported and 5.6% currency-neutral. Source
  • GAAP EPS up 110%, adjusted up 27%: Q4 diluted EPS from continuing operations was $2.52 versus $1.20; adjusted diluted EPS was $4.15 versus $3.26, up 27.3%. Source
  • Operating income rose to $1,032 million: Q4 operating income rose to $1,032 million from $536 million; interest expense was $130 million, against $155 million. Source
  • Fiscal revenue reached $19.5 billion: Fiscal 2026 revenue was $19,457 million, up 4.9% as reported and 3.9% currency-neutral, from $18,544 million. Source
  • Adjusted EPS $12.70 for fiscal 2026: Fiscal 2026 adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was $12.70, up 6.7% as reported and 5.7% currency-neutral; GAAP diluted EPS was $5.06. Source
  • Net income fell on discontinued losses: Full-year net income was $1,145 million, down 31.7%; the loss from discontinued operations was $271 million, against income of $577 million. Source

Segments and regions

  • Interventional grew fastest in Q4: Interventional revenue was $1,472 million, up 7.6% currency-neutral; Urology and Critical Care rose 8.7% and Peripheral Intervention 8.3%, while Surgery rose 5.5%. Source
  • Medical Essentials up 5.9%: Medical Essentials revenue was $1,786 million; Specimen Management rose 9.5% as reported and Medication Delivery Solutions rose 4.5%. Source
  • BioPharma Systems up 6.5%: BioPharma Systems revenue was $748 million; US sales rose 4.7% and International sales rose 7.3% as reported. Source
  • Connected Care growth slowed: Connected Care revenue was $1,269 million, up 2.1% currency-neutral; Medication Management Solutions fell 2.3% while Advanced Patient Monitoring rose 15.0% as reported. Source
  • US and international growth in Q4: United States revenue was $3,204 million, up 4.3%; International was $2,070 million, up 7.0% as reported and 7.6% currency-neutral. Source
  • Fiscal international growth lower currency-neutral: For fiscal 2026, International revenue rose 4.2% as reported but 1.4% currency-neutral, while United States revenue rose 5.4% to $12,061 million. Source

“We enter fiscal 2027 from a position of strength, with a portfolio built for durable performance and confidence in the long-term growth, earnings and cash-flow potential of New BD.”

Tom Polen, chairman, CEO and president of BD

Products and customers

  • Vmax 160 first US deployment: Fairview Health Services is the first U.S. health system to deploy the Vmax 160, a robot that also handles specialty therapies and refrigerated medications in outpatient pharmacy. Source
  • Revello iliac cohort results reported: Nine-month iliac cohort results of the Revello vascular covered stent showed high vessel patency, low reintervention rates and improvements in mobility and symptoms. Source
  • PREVENT trial enrollment completed: Enrollment finished in the PREVENT trial evaluating Phasix Mesh for incisional hernia prevention after abdominal surgery. Source
  • STANCE trial enrollment milestone: The STANCE trial evaluating GalaFLEX LITE scaffold in breast revision surgery passed its first enrollment milestone. Source

Costs, margins and tax

  • Cost of products sold fell 2.2%: Q4 cost of products sold was $2,581 million, down 2.2%, including a $66 million benefit from refunds of IEEPA tariffs that is excluded from adjusted EPS. Source
  • Selling costs up, R&D down: Selling and administrative expense rose 4.4% to $1,262 million, while research and development expense fell 6.8% to $246 million. Source
  • Product liability charges in Q4: Q4 included $45 million of net charges for product liability and certain other legal matters, against $232 million a year earlier. Source
  • Integration and restructuring expense doubled: Fiscal 2026 integration, restructuring and transaction expense was $806 million, up 100.2% from $403 million. Source
  • Q4 tax provision higher: Q4 income tax provision was $209 million, against $7 million a year earlier. Source

Cash flow and capital returns

  • Free cash flow up 42.5%: Fiscal 2026 cash from continuing operations was $3,605 million, up 30.0%; after $672 million of capital expenditures, free cash flow was $2,933 million. Source
  • Buybacks rose to $2.4 billion: Fiscal 2026 share repurchases were $2,433 million, against $1,000 million, and dividends paid were $1,161 million. Source
  • Spin-off distribution funded debt repayment: The company received a $3,916 million distribution from the spin-off entity, net, and repaid $2,696 million of debt in fiscal 2026. Source
  • Diluted share count reduced: Diluted average shares were 274,051 thousand in Q4 versus 287,118 thousand a year earlier; fiscal-year diluted shares were 279,939 thousand versus 288,509 thousand. Source
  • Goodwill and intangibles declined: Goodwill and other intangibles were $33,624 million at September 30, 2026, against $35,190 million a year earlier, after impairment charges. Source

Strategy and US investment

  • Planned $19 billion US investment: Planned spending is $19 billion over several years, of which $3 billion is for manufacturing expansion, covering capital, operations and supply chain. Source
  • Excellence programme expanded commercial capabilities: Management said fiscal 2026 steps expanded BD Excellence to elevate commercial capabilities, accelerate innovation and drive greater productivity. Source
  • Life Sciences separation completed February 2026: The former Biosciences and Diagnostic Solutions business was spun off and combined with Waters, leaving four segments under the company. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 November 2026

  • Investor Day on December 10: The 2026 Investor Day will be held December 10 at the New York Stock Exchange, with additional information to follow. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Fiscal 2026 included $120 million of net charges for product liability and legal matters in other operating expense, which are excluded from adjusted results. Source
  • Operational: Management adjusted its estimate of future product remediation costs, with $68 million of fiscal 2026 charges to cost of products sold. Source
  • Financial: Management exited certain operational activities, leading to $450 million of non-cash asset impairment charges across all reportable segments. Source
  • External: Tariff relief under the agreement depends on the final scope of any future Section 232 actions and on BD meeting agreed milestones. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said fiscal 2026 completed the transformation to a more focused MedTech company. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.