We came across a bullish thesis on Badger Meter, Inc. (BMI) on Substack by Durable Value Creators. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on BMI. Badger Meter, Inc. (BMI)’s share was trading at $219.23 as of Nov 21st. BMI’s trailing and forward P/E were 54.40 and 45.45 respectively according to Yahoo Finance.
A close-up of a gauge measuring the quality of a water sample, taken for remote pit and tank monitoring.
Badger Meter (BMI), a North American leader in smart water solutions, presents a compelling investment opportunity driven by its innovative technologies and strong position in the utility, commercial, and industrial markets. Founded in 1905, the company has evolved from producing frost-proof water meters to offering an advanced suite of water meters, valves, sensors, and software solutions designed for monitoring and analytics. Today, utilities account for approximately 85% of Badger Meter’s revenue, with 90% of its sales generated in the U.S. and the rest coming from international markets, including Asia, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East.
A key differentiator for Badger Meter is its emphasis on creating a “smart water ecosystem,” integrating hardware and software to enhance operational efficiency for utility companies. The company’s products, whether mechanical or ultrasonic meters, are designed with built-in cellular communication capabilities, enabling seamless data transmission. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), a network-as-a-service solution, eliminates the need for utilities to build or maintain their own communication networks, leveraging partnerships with AT&T and Verizon to transmit data. This connectivity allows utilities to collect, analyze, and act on data more efficiently than traditional methods, reducing costs and increasing operational insights.
Badger Meter’s software solutions, particularly the BEACON and RADAR platforms, play a pivotal role in its strategy. BEACON offers a cloud-based system for utility management, enabling real-time data analysis and billing integration, while RADAR focuses on network data from water quality systems and industrial control systems. Together, these platforms support a data-driven approach for utility operators, enhancing efficiency and enabling proactive maintenance. This digitized strategy creates stickiness in Badger Meter’s ecosystem, fostering recurring revenues and raising switching costs for customers. Notably, SaaS revenue has grown at a robust 28% CAGR over the past five years, further strengthening margins and revenue predictability.
The company’s growth is bolstered by favorable trends, including aging U.S. water infrastructure, increasing environmental regulations, and low AMI adoption rates—currently at only one-third of total connections. With an estimated total addressable market (TAM) of $20 billion, half of which comes from software, Badger Meter is well-positioned for sustained growth. Its business strategy capitalizes on an upgrade path for utilities transitioning from manual meter reading to fully digital AMI systems, reducing non-revenue water losses and improving resource efficiency. Furthermore, acquisitions such as AquaCue, s::can, and Syrinix have strategically expanded its portfolio in software, water quality monitoring, and hardware-enabled solutions.
Despite its strengths, risks include the potential for overpaying or mismanaging acquisitions and increased competition from larger, well-funded players in water quality and flow instrumentation markets. However, Badger Meter’s niche expertise, favorable patents, and consistent track record of successful tuck-in acquisitions mitigate these concerns.
Badger Meter offers an attractive avenue for investors seeking exposure to water infrastructure and environmental sustainability themes without the capital intensity of utility companies. With software revenue driving margin expansion and significant growth potential from AMI adoption, the company’s long-term outlook is robust. While its high valuation—trading at over 50x earnings—may deter some investors, the potential for sustained growth and strong execution positions Badger Meter as a leader in the smart water technology space.
Badger Meter, Inc. (BMI) is not on our list of the 31 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 32 hedge fund portfolios held BMI at the end of the third quarter which was 33 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of BMI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BMI but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.