Stock fact sheet · data as of
Belden Inc. (BDC): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Ticker symbol BDC · Technology · Communication Equipment · United States · Growth
Is BDC undervalued?
BDC closed at 105.15 on 5 Nov 2026, which is 20% above the GLS average fair value of 87.55 from 9 models. 5 of them value the shares below today's price. Our scans read that as "no margin of safety": the stock is not a value candidate at this price, whatever the quality numbers say.
There is a wide gap between DDM (2.94) and 10 Cap (161.19). When the models are this far apart the "fair value" is really a range, and the margin of safety above should be read with that range in mind.
Ranked against every other company we cover, BDC is clearly faster-growing than it is cheap, so the nightly engine files it under Growth (value score 29, growth score 50, out of 100).
Nine valuation models for BDC
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 120.18 | +14% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | 60.09 | -43% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 160.73 | +53% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 63.04 | -40% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 36.64 | -65% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 161.19 | +53% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 133.03 | +27% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | 2.94 | -97% | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend |
| EPV | 50.07 | -52% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -23.78 | -123% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 155.00 | +47% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Belden Inc. scores 5 of 9 on the Piotroski F-score: a middling result that falls one point short of the "Piotroski 6 or more" Wheel Trade Filter. Some of the nine tests on profitability, leverage and efficiency are failed, so the accounts are worth a look before selling a put on the name. On durability BDC scores 5.3/10 on the GLS Moat - a middle reading; the Moat Score tab on the Quote page's Financials view shows which of the four parts hold it back.
Returns on capital are moderate - ROIC 8.9%, ROE 18.8%, ROA 6.7% - with debt at 1.11 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 5.6%.
The dividend yield is 0.19% with a payout ratio of 4% - a small yield that leaves most of the earnings in the business. Revenue comes mainly from Automation Solutions 71%, Smart Buildings Solutions 29% (quarter Q3 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 3/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 5 / 9 | ROIC | 8.9% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 5.3 / 10 | ROE | 18.8% |
| Debt / equity | 1.11 | ROA | 6.7% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 5.6% | Payout ratio | 4% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 3 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 36: Weak
With a Wheel Score of 36 Belden Inc. sits in the Weak band. It fails filter 3, below fair value - trades 20% above our fair value; and filter 4, financially healthy - Piotroski 5/9 (under 6); and filter 5, can repay its debt - 3.6 years to repay its debt (over 3); Value (weak) is its weakest part.
Implied volatility is 45% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out - inside the 35-60% sweet spot the Wheel Score rewards most: enough premium to be worth selling, not so much that the risk is unpaid. Chain open interest is 2,177 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 605k shares a day on a market cap of $4.1B, with a beta of 1.15; the Stability part of the Wheel Score rates that fair.
| Filter | Wheel Trade Filter | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Options that actually trade | Passes | Listed options with 1,000+ contracts of open interest and 100+ traded a day |
| 2 | A real business, not a gamble | Passes | Profitable over the last twelve months - not a speculative stock, fund or note |
| 3 | Below fair value | Fails | trades 20% above our fair value |
| 4 | Financially healthy | Fails | Piotroski 5/9 (under 6) |
| 5 | Can repay its debt | Fails | 3.6 years to repay its debt (over 3) |
| 6 | No serious red flags | Passes | Red Flags score 60 or more out of 100 (earnings, margins, debt, analysts, filings and price checked the same way for every stock) |
| 7 | A premium worth selling | Passes | Implied volatility 25-80% (enough premium, not a lottery ticket) |
| 8 | Big enough | Passes | Market cap $1 billion or more |
| 9 | Not a penny stock | Passes | Share price $5 or more |
| How it ranks | Rating | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | Weak | 20% above fair value | |
| Premium | Strong | implied volatility 45% | |
| Moat | Fair | moat 5.3/10 | |
| Health | Fair | Piotroski 5/9 | |
| Red Flags | Strong | Red Flags score 100/100 | |
| Option trading | Weak | 192 contracts a day, 2,177 open interest | |
| Stability | Fair | beta 1.15, $4.1B company |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls: a stock must pass all 9 Wheel Trade Filters to score 70, and the score then ranks the ones that pass; the Sunday Scan is the top 10. It is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. How the Wheel Score works · the walkthrough lesson shows how it fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
No upcoming earnings date is recorded for BDC in the nightly calendar.
No analyst upgrades or downgrades were recorded in the last 30 days.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Communication Equipment
The 12 companies below are the closest to Belden Inc. by market cap within the Communication Equipment industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAOI Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. | 59.27 | - | - | 12Weak | $5.0B |
| ONDS Ondas Holdings Inc. | 5.27 | 9.04 | +42% | 32Weak | $3.1B |
| EXTR Extreme Networks, Inc. | 22.84 | 8.75 | -161% | 39Weak | $3.0B |
| DGII Digi International Inc. | 72.58 | 44.69 | -62% | 35Weak | $2.8B |
| FUNR Funr | 0.2400 | 0.0000 | -726861% | 14No options | $2.4B |
| VIAV Viavi Solutions Inc. | 29.38 | 7.87 | -273% | 34Weak | $7.2B |
| CALX Calix, Inc. | 33.85 | 24.14 | -40% | 35Weak | $2.1B |
| VSAT Viasat, Inc. | 66.79 | 65.02 | -3% | 26Weak | $9.2B |
| ARLO Arlo Technologies, Inc. | 15.22 | 9.88 | -54% | 27Weak | $1.6B |
| VISN Vistance Networks, Inc. | 6.44 | 51.45 | +87% | 39Weak | $1.5B |
| HLIT Harmonic Inc. | 10.21 | 2.03 | -403% | 33Weak | $1.1B |
| ZBRA Zebra Technologies Corporation | 332.44 | 262.02 | -27% | 40Weak | $15.7B |
Scan the whole market the same way
A free GLS Equity account gets you nightly fair value and the Wheel Score on ~7,400 US stocks, a watchlist, the scanner preview and the Sunday Scan - the top 10 stocks that pass all 9 Wheel Trade Filters, emailed every week. Pro adds the full put and call scanners, unlimited watchlists with alerts and the trade journal.
Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about BDC
Is BDC undervalued right now?
No: at 105.15 the stock trades 20% above the GLS average fair value of 87.55 (data as of 5 Nov 2026). The margin of safety is negative.
What is the Wheel Score of BDC and what does it mean?
BDC scores 36 out of 100 (Weak) - it fails Wheel Trade Filters 3, 4, 5. The Wheel Score ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned - in two parts: the 9 pass/fail Wheel Trade Filters (busy options, a real business, below fair value, Piotroski 6 or more, debt it can repay, a Red Flags score of 60 or more, implied volatility of 25-80%, a $1 billion company, $5 a share) and a ranking of how strongly a stock passes on value, premium, moat, health, red flags, option trading and stability. A stock that fails any filter stays under 70; 70-84 is Good, 85 and above is Prime. The Sunday Scan is the top 10 that pass, sorted by Wheel Score.
What is the GLS fair value for BDC?
87.55 per share as of 5 Nov 2026 - the simple average of the 9 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Belden Inc. report earnings next?
No upcoming earnings date is recorded for BDC in our calendar as of 5 Nov 2026; the Calendars page is refreshed every morning.
Does BDC have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 72 listed contracts with 2,177 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 45% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.