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BECTON DICKINSON & CO. $173 is a buy. The medical device maker (New York symbol BDX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 286.6 million; Market cap: $49.6 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.4; Dividend yield: 2.4%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.bd.com) acquired the Critical Care product group of Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (New York symbol EW) in September 2024 for $3.9 billion. This business makes equipment to monitor the vital signs of patients. The new operations helped lift Becton’s revenue in its fiscal 2025 second quarter, ended March 31, 2025, by 4.5%, to $5.27 billion from $5.05 billion a year earlier. Earnings gained 5.7%, to $3.35 a share from $3.17. Tariffs will probably cut Becton’s per-share earnings for all of fiscal 2025 by $0.25, to between $14.06 and $14.34. The stock trades at just 12.2 times the midpoint of that range. The $4.16 annual dividend payment yields 2.4%. Becton Dickinson is a buy. NEWELL BRANDS INC. $5.31 remains a hold. The company (Nasdaq symbol NWL; Aggressive Growth and Income Portfolios, Consumer…