NEW YORK, Dec. 27, 2025, 7:11 PM ET — Market closed
DENTSPLY SIRONA Inc. (NASDAQ: XRAY) ended the last U.S. trading session of the week higher, with shares closing Friday at $11.52, up about $0.31 (+2.7%), on roughly 5.5 million shares traded. With U.S. markets shut for the weekend, investors now shift focus to what could move XRAY when trading resumes Monday amid thin, year-end conditions and a market still watching the “Santa Claus rally” window. [1]
Broader equities finished Friday little changed, according to Reuters and the Associated Press, as a light post-holiday calendar offered few fresh catalysts. In that environment, single-stock narratives—ratings updates, balance-sheet signals, and near-term catalysts like dividends—can matter more than usual, especially for smaller-cap names like Dentsply Sirona. [2]
What’s new in the last 24–48 hours: “Reduce” consensus resurfaces
The most notable XRAY-specific headline in the past 48 hours was a fresh round-up of Wall Street sentiment showing analysts still leaning cautious. A MarketBeat compilation dated Dec. 26, 2025 reported that 15 analysts currently assign XRAY a consensus “Reduce” rating, with the group split across 3 Sell, 10 Hold, and 2 Buy recommendations. MarketBeat also listed an average one-year target price around $15.15. [3]
That same snapshot put some technical context around the stock’s setup heading into next week: a 52-week range of $9.85 to $20.59, with the stock’s 50-day moving average around $11.56 and the 200-day around $13.48—levels many traders use as reference points for trend and mean-reversion decisions. [4]
Dividend timing: record date just passed, payout next
Dividend-focused investors had a key date on the calendar this week. Dentsply Sirona previously announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.16 per share (an indicated annual rate of $0.64), payable Jan. 9, 2026, to shareholders of record as of Dec. 26, 2025. MarketBeat also listed Dec. 26 as the stock’s ex-dividend date, meaning investors buying on or after that date would not receive the upcoming payment. [5]
At Friday’s close near $11.52, the annualized dividend implies a yield in the mid–5% range—one reason XRAY shows up on income screens even as the company works through operational headwinds. [6]
The fundamental backdrop: turnaround messaging vs. pressured results
The cautious analyst stance is rooted in a challenging operating picture that Dentsply Sirona has been openly addressing since its most recent quarterly reporting cycle.
In its Q3 2025 earnings call materials and transcript coverage, the company described a Return-to-Growth action plan aimed at improving execution and restoring performance over roughly the next 24 months. CEO Daniel T. Scavilla emphasized urgency, saying: “It’s time for bold change.” [7]
Operationally, the same transcript summary highlighted pressure points investors have been watching: global sales declines, U.S. weakness in key segments, and the drag from tariff impacts and product mix. It also referenced a non-cash impairment charge tied to lower projected volumes and tariff effects, underscoring why headline GAAP profitability has looked volatile even as the company reports non-GAAP measures like adjusted EPS. [8]
Management and governance: interim CFO in place
Leadership changes have also remained part of the XRAY narrative. In an SEC filing dated Nov. 25, 2025, Dentsply Sirona disclosed it appointed Michael Pomeroy as interim Chief Financial Officer until a permanent CFO is identified, with CEO Scavilla continuing as principal financial officer in the interim. [9]
While this is not “new” in the last 48 hours, it continues to factor into how investors interpret forecasts and execution risk—especially into 2026, when the company is expected to update guidance and outline next steps in more detail. [10]
Forecasts and analyst targets: why the numbers differ across platforms
For investors scanning year-end forecasts, one important detail is that “consensus” targets can vary based on which analysts are included and how platforms normalize ratings.
Here’s how several widely followed aggregators framed XRAY recently:
- MarketBeat: consensus rating Reduce and average target around $15.15. [11]
- StockAnalysis: consensus Hold with an average target around $14.90 (with lows around $12 and highs around $23). [12]
- TipRanks: reported an average price target around $13.27 in the past three months, along with a monthly roll-up of buy/hold/sell activity. [13]
On the “recent calls” front, MarketBeat’s Dec. 26 summary referenced a range of ratings and targets from firms including Barrington Research (Outperform, $14), UBS (Buy, $23), Evercore ISI (In-Line, $13), and Mizuho ($13). [14]
Separately, The Fly items carried by TipRanks included examples of downside-tilted adjustments earlier in December, including Baird lowering its price target to $12 from $14 while maintaining a Neutral stance (Dec. 16), and an item noting Barclays initiating coverage at Underweight (Dec. 9). [15]
Positioning signal: short interest rose into mid-November
Short interest is another indicator investors watch for sentiment—especially when liquidity is thinner. MarketBeat’s short-interest dashboard (as of Nov. 14, 2025) listed roughly 13.46 million shares sold short, about 6.78% of the public float, up about 28.84% from the prior report, with a days-to-cover figure around 2.9. [16]
That doesn’t “predict” direction by itself, but it does suggest a meaningful bearish positioning overhang that can amplify moves if unexpected news hits—positive or negative.
What investors should know before Monday’s open
With the market closed now, the practical question becomes: what matters most before the next session?
1) Year-end market tone and liquidity. Reuters described Friday’s tape as light on catalysts, and the AP similarly framed the session as relatively subdued. Thin conditions can exaggerate volatility in single stocks, particularly around headlines or outsized orders. [17]
2) Dividend “reset” dynamics. XRAY’s ex-dividend date was Friday, Dec. 26. In the next session(s), investors often evaluate whether a high-yield stock is being supported primarily by income demand or whether fundamentals are reasserting control—especially into a new calendar year when portfolios may rebalance. [18]
3) Watch the key reference levels. With XRAY near its 50-day moving average and below its 200-day moving average, the next move is often framed by whether the stock can reclaim longer-term trend lines or stalls below them. MarketBeat’s data points ($11.56 for the 50-day; $13.48 for the 200-day; $9.85 52-week low) are likely to show up in Monday pre-market commentary. [19]
4) Monitor filings and insider-related headlines. Insider-trading related items can resurface quickly in thin markets. A Reuters/Refinitiv item distributed via TradingView noted that director Gregory T. Lucier filed a Form 144 proposing to sell shares, with an approximate sale date listed as Dec. 8, 2025. [20]
5) Know the next catalyst date. MarketBeat estimates Dentsply Sirona’s next earnings report for Feb. 26, 2026 (not yet confirmed by the company, per MarketBeat’s note), giving investors a rough runway for when guidance and turnaround milestones may be refreshed. [21]
Bottom line
Heading into the next session, XRAY stock sits at the intersection of a high dividend yield, a still-cautious analyst consensus, and a multi-quarter execution story that management says will take time to fix. Friday’s gain improves the near-term tape, but Wall Street’s “Reduce” consensus—along with elevated short interest—suggests investors are still demanding clearer evidence that the Return-to-Growth plan is translating into durable revenue and margin improvement. [22]
References
1. www.marketbeat.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.marketbeat.com, 4. www.marketbeat.com, 5. www.nasdaq.com, 6. www.nasdaq.com, 7. www.fool.com, 8. www.fool.com, 9. www.sec.gov, 10. www.sec.gov, 11. www.marketbeat.com, 12. stockanalysis.com, 13. www.tipranks.com, 14. www.marketbeat.com, 15. www.tipranks.com, 16. www.marketbeat.com, 17. www.reuters.com, 18. www.nasdaq.com, 19. www.marketbeat.com, 20. www.tradingview.com, 21. www.marketbeat.com, 22. www.marketbeat.com
