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Cohen Klingenstein LLC acquired a new position in shares of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX – Free Report) in the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 20,728 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock, valued at approximately $497,000.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in BAX. CX Institutional boosted its position in Baxter International by 2.3% in the third quarter. CX Institutional now owns 19,858 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $477,000 after purchasing an additional 448 shares during the last quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Baxter International by 1.1% during the second quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 44,722 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $953,000 after acquiring an additional 476 shares in the last quarter. Empirical Finance LLC lifted its holdings in Baxter International by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Empirical Finance LLC now owns 18,170 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $387,000 after purchasing an additional 608 shares in the last quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC boosted its stake in Baxter International by 52.4% in the 2nd quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 2,153 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 740 shares during the period. Finally, Arizona State Retirement System boosted its stake in Baxter International by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 142,449 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $3,037,000 after purchasing an additional 1,111 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

Baxter International Trading Up 3.9% Shares of NYSE BAX opened at $25.77 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 1.95 and a quick ratio of 1.32. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $25.02 and a 200 day moving average of $21.83. Baxter International Inc. has a 1 year low of $15.73 and a 1 year high of $30.00. The stock has a market cap of $13.32 billion, a P/E ratio of -12.45, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.75 and a beta of 0.65.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.37 by $0.19. Baxter International had a positive return on equity of 16.57% and a negative net margin of 9.27%. The company had revenue of $2.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.80 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.59 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% on a year-over-year basis. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.950-2.150 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Baxter International Inc. will post 2.04 EPS for the current fiscal year. Baxter International Announces Dividend The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, October 1st. Investors of record on Friday, August 28th were issued a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 28th. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -1.93%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Baxter International from $19.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Weiss Ratings lowered Baxter International from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d-)” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their target price on shares of Baxter International from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Barclays started coverage on Baxter International in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. They issued an “underweight” rating and a $20.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Citigroup dropped their target price on shares of Baxter International from $28.00 to $27.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $21.73.

Get Our Latest Analysis on Baxter International

Baxter International Profile (Free Report)

Baxter International Inc is a global healthcare company that develops and markets products used in hospitals, outpatient facilities and other care settings. Its portfolio includes intravenous solutions and administration sets, infusion pumps, parenteral nutrition products, injectable medicines, surgical products and systems for medication preparation and delivery.

The company also provides products and technologies that support anesthesia, critical care, patient monitoring and other hospital workflows.

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DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a global medtech leader, will host a conference call to discuss its third-quarter 2026 financial results on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. Central Time. To participate in this conference call please follow this link https://events.q4inc.com/analyst/129835310?pwd=2FG2j7ZZ to pre-register for the call and receive the call information.This call is also being webcast and can be accessed through Baxter's website at www.

Here at Zacks, our focus is on the proven Zacks Rank system, which emphasizes earnings estimates and estimate revisions to find great stocks. Nevertheless, we are always paying attention to the latest value, growth, and momentum trends to underscore strong picks.

Of these, value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. Value investors use tried-and-true metrics and fundamental analysis to find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels.

Luckily, Zacks has developed its own Style Scores system in an effort to find stocks with specific traits. Value investors will be interested in the system's "Value" category. Stocks with both "A" grades in the Value category and high Zacks Ranks are among the strongest value stocks on the market right now.

One stock to keep an eye on is Baxter International (BAX - Free Report) . BAX is currently sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), as well as a Value grade of A. The stock is trading with a P/E ratio of 8.96, which compares to its industry's average of 15.71. BAX's Forward P/E has been as high as 15.24 and as low as 8.33, with a median of 11.86, all within the past year.

BAX is also sporting a PEG ratio of 0.72. This metric is used similarly to the famous P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also takes into account the stock's expected earnings growth rate. BAX's industry currently sports an average PEG of 1.88. Over the past 52 weeks, BAX's PEG has been as high as 12.00 and as low as 0.61, with a median of 0.92.

Another valuation metric that we should highlight is BAX's P/B ratio of 1.62. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. This stock's P/B looks attractive against its industry's average P/B of 2.30. BAX's P/B has been as high as 2.66 and as low as 1.53, with a median of 2.20, over the past year.

Value investors also love the P/S ratio, which is calculated by simply dividing a stock's price with the company's sales. This is a popular metric because sales are harder to manipulate on an income statement, so they are often considered a better performance indicator. BAX has a P/S ratio of 1.09. This compares to its industry's average P/S of 1.56.

Investors could also keep in mind Zimmer Biomet (ZBH - Free Report) , another Medical - Products stock with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy) and Value grade of A.

Zimmer Biomet is currently trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 11.98 while its PEG ratio sits at 2.25. Both of the company's metrics compare favorably to its industry's average P/E of 15.71 and average PEG ratio of 1.88.

Over the past year, ZBH's P/E has been as high as 13.52, as low as 10.73, with a median of 12.36; its PEG ratio has been as high as 2.36, as low as 1.66, with a median of 1.93 during the same time period.

Additionally, Zimmer Biomet has a P/B ratio of 1.58 while its industry's price-to-book ratio sits at 2.30. For ZBH, this valuation metric has been as high as 1.82, as low as 1.43, with a median of 1.66 over the past year.

These are just a handful of the figures considered in Baxter International and Zimmer Biomet's great Value grade. Still, they help show that the stock is likely being undervalued at the moment. Add this to the strength of its earnings outlook, and we can clearly see that BAX and ZBH is an impressive value stock right now.

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the thirteen ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $22.45.

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on BAX shares. Zacks Research upgraded Baxter International from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. UBS Group boosted their price objective on Baxter International from $19.00 to $25.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 28th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 15th. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Baxter International from $20.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Citigroup raised shares of Baxter International from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $17.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Friday, July 31st.

View Our Latest Analysis on BAX

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baxter International Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Baxter International in the second quarter valued at $1,744,874,000. Pzena Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Baxter International during the second quarter valued at $1,392,098,000. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in Baxter International by 7.8% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 13,510,205 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $257,174,000 after buying an additional 972,891 shares during the period. Equity Investment Corp acquired a new position in Baxter International during the second quarter valued at $146,815,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new stake in Baxter International in the 2nd quarter worth about $132,993,000. 90.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Baxter International Price Performance Shares of NYSE:BAX opened at $23.50 on Wednesday. Baxter International has a one year low of $15.73 and a one year high of $30.00. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $25.22 and a 200-day moving average of $21.20. The company has a market capitalization of $12.15 billion, a PE ratio of -11.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a current ratio of 1.95.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $2.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.80 billion. Baxter International had a positive return on equity of 16.57% and a negative net margin of 9.27%.The company’s revenue was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.59 EPS. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.950-2.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Baxter International will post 2.04 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Baxter International Announces Dividend The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Investors of record on Friday, August 28th will be given a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 28th. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio is -1.93%.

(Get Free Report)

Baxter International Inc is a global healthcare company that develops and markets products used in hospitals, outpatient facilities and other care settings. Its portfolio includes intravenous solutions and administration sets, infusion pumps, parenteral nutrition products, injectable medicines, surgical products and systems for medication preparation and delivery.

The company also provides products and technologies that support anesthesia, critical care, patient monitoring and other hospital workflows.

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Key Takeaways Baxter is reshaping its portfolio as connected care and advanced surgery growth offset infusion headwinds.Care & Connectivity sales rose 5% organically in Q2 2026, while Advanced Surgery climbed 12%.Margins face pressure from manufacturing costs, tariffs, Novum IQ issues and China procurement pricing. Baxter International (BAX - Free Report) is advancing its portfolio transformation with a focus on operational efficiency, connected-care growth and strengthening higher-growth businesses. While portfolio simplification, solid demand in select businesses and improving execution support its growth outlook, margin pressure from manufacturing costs, tariffs and pricing constraints, the Novum IQ regulatory and commercial issues, and procurement-related pressure in China remain key near-term headwinds.

Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 23% year to date against the industry's 21.3% decline. The S&P 500 Index has risen 12% during the same time frame.

BAX, with a market capitalization of $12.24 billion, is a global medical technology company providing items such as infusion pumps and intravenous solutions. The company has an earnings yield of 8.6% compared with the industry's 2.4%. It anticipates earnings to improve 3.2% over the next five years.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Positive Factors Driving BAX’s ProspectsLarge Addressable Markets Support Long-Term Growth: Baxter serves several sizeable healthcare markets through its continuing businesses, including infusion therapies, advanced surgery, drug compounding and connected care. The infusion pump market is valued at nearly $15 billion, while connected-care and digital monitoring represent a market exceeding $50 billion. Rising hospital admissions, procedure volumes, healthcare digitization and demand for efficient, patient-centric care provide structural growth opportunities across these markets.

Portfolio Simplification Strengthens Operational Focus: Baxter’s Kidney Care divestiture and second-quarter 2026 reporting changes have simplified its portfolio, including the consolidation of Pharmaceuticals with Infusion Therapies & Platforms. Management is deploying the Baxter Growth & Performance System to improve execution and efficiency. More than 400 continuous-improvement events were completed in the first half of 2026, with nearly 200 in progress and another 400 planned. These initiatives target working capital, manufacturing, commercial execution and R&D, supporting more disciplined resource allocation.

Advanced Surgery and Connected Care Drive Mix Improvement: Baxter’s higher-growth businesses are gaining momentum. Care & Connectivity Solutions sales increased 5% organically to $502 million in the second quarter of 2026, while Front Line Care grew 2%. Advanced Surgery sales rose 12% organically to $331 million, following 10% growth in the first quarter, while Drug Compounding also delivered double-digit growth. These businesses are strengthening portfolio mix and helping offset softer performance in certain infusion and injectable categories.

Key Challenges for BAX StockMargin Pressure Could Constrain Earnings: Baxter’s profitability remains pressured by higher manufacturing costs, lower absorption, tariffs and reduced pricing contribution. Adjusted gross margin fell 210 basis points year over year to 38.6% in the second quarter of 2026, while adjusted operating margin declined 90 basis points to 14.2%. Although a $75 million tariff refund benefited quarterly earnings, management expects about $40 million of net tariff impact in the second half. Failure to achieve planned cost savings and volume leverage could limit margin expansion.

Novum IQ Creates Execution and Regulatory Risk: The Novum IQ large-volume pump remains an overhang on Infusion Systems. Second-quarter sales were affected by the shipment and installation hold, customer returns and transitions to Spectrum. Baxter is in the early stages of verification testing after implementing corrective actions and continues to work with regulators. Until remediation is completed and commercial activity normalizes, Novum-related uncertainty could weigh on infusion-system sales and customer retention.

Pricing and China Procurement Add Pressure: Baxter faces limited pricing flexibility in hospital markets due to group purchasing organizations, tenders and large distributors. Lower pricing contribution already pressured Medical Products & Therapies margins in the second quarter, making it harder to offset tariffs, inflation and manufacturing costs. In China, value-based procurement can further reduce realized prices and pressure product mix. Intensifying procurement-driven price reductions or weaker hospital spending could weigh on Greater China performance and partially offset growth in other markets.

Estimate TrendThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 revenues is pegged at $11.62 billion, indicating a 3.3% improvement from the previous year’s level.

The consensus mark for adjusted earnings per share (EPS) is pinned at $2.04, indicating a 10.1% decrease from the year-ago reported number. The consensus estimate for adjusted EPS has improved 13 cents in the past 60 days.

Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are Veracyte (VCYT - Free Report) , Globus Medical (GMED - Free Report) and Intuitive Surgical (ISRG - Free Report) .

Veracyte, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), reported a second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 54 cents, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 25.6%. Revenues of $150.3 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.1%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

VCYT has an estimated earnings growth rate of 8.4% for 2026. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 41.8%.

Globus Medical, currently flaunting a Zacks Rank #1, reported a second-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $1.34, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 19.6%. Revenues of $789.6 million beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.4%.

GMED has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 12.4%. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 27.9%.

Intuitive Surgical, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted EPS of $2.80, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 12.9%. Revenues of $2.89 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3.1%.

Intuitive Surgical has a long-term estimated growth rate of 14.9%. ISRG’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 16.5%.

NewEdge Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) by 22.6% in the undefined quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 138,583 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock after buying an additional 25,536

Baxter International Inc. (BAX) Presents at Wells Fargo 21st Annual Healthcare Conference Transcript

Barbara Oil Co. purchased a new position in Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 40,000 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock, valued at approximately $853,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in BAX. Pzena Investment Management LLC bought a new position in Baxter International in the 2nd quarter worth about $1,392,098,000. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. purchased a new position in Baxter International during the 2nd quarter valued at about $30,604,000. AMG National Trust Bank bought a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the second quarter valued at about $2,522,000. BlackRock Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the second quarter valued at about $1,744,874,000. Finally, Edmond DE Rothschild Holding S.A. purchased a new stake in shares of Baxter International in the second quarter worth about $51,958,000. 90.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $19.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 28th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Baxter International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 1st. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Baxter International from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. Citigroup raised shares of Baxter International from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their price target for the company from $17.00 to $28.00 in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price target on shares of Baxter International from $20.00 to $24.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $22.45.

Read Our Latest Analysis on BAX Baxter International Stock Performance Shares of BAX opened at $26.37 on Monday. The company has a market cap of $13.63 billion, a PE ratio of -12.74, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.99 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a current ratio of 1.95, a quick ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.39. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $23.62 and a 200-day moving average price of $20.36. Baxter International Inc. has a 12-month low of $15.73 and a 12-month high of $30.00.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.56 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.19. The company had revenue of $2.96 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.80 billion. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 9.27% and a positive return on equity of 16.57%. Baxter International’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.59 earnings per share. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.950-2.150 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Baxter International Inc. will post 2.04 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 28th will be issued a $0.01 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, August 28th. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio is presently -1.93%.

Baxter International Profile (Free Report)

Baxter International Inc is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products, pharmaceutical therapies and biotechnology-based solutions. The company’s primary business activities are organized around renal care, medication delivery, acute therapies, pharmacy automation, surgical care and biotechnology. Baxter’s offerings are designed to support patient care in hospitals, dialysis centers, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities worldwide.

In the renal care segment, Baxter provides hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis systems, water treatment equipment and related disposables, including dialyzers, bloodlines and catheters.

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On August 17, 2026, Baxter International Inc
BAX -3.07% 66

shares fell 3.1% to a current price of $25.91. This decline comes amid a 52-week price range of $15.73 to $30.00, indicating recent volatility in the stock's performance.

GF Value™ verdict: Current price is $25.91 versus GF Value of $33.00, indicating a 21.5% upside potential.GF Score™ of 66/100, suggesting the company is above average in its overall assessment.Notable signal: No insider transactions have been reported in the past 12 months.Is BAX Overvalued or Undervalued?The current market price of Baxter International Inc
BAX -3.07% 66

is $25.91, while the GF Value™ estimates the intrinsic value at $33.00. This suggests that the stock is undervalued by approximately 21.5%. However, it is important to note that GF Value™ is derived from historical trading multiples, past business growth, and future performance estimates. For a company like Baxter, which is currently unprofitable and cash-flow-negative, relying solely on earnings-based valuation metrics such as P/E ratios may not provide an accurate picture of its financial health.

With the GF Valuation label indicating that BAX is "modestly undervalued," potential investors should exercise caution. The margin of safety exists, but the underlying risks associated with the company's lack of profitability should not be overlooked. In this case, the GF Value™ serves more as a directional warning rather than a precise fair-value target.

How Does BAX's Valuation Compare to Its History?MetricCurrentHistoricalP/E (TTM)12.6x30.5xCurrently, Baxter's forward P/E stands at 12.6x, a significant decrease compared to its 5-year median P/E of 30.5x. This low valuation suggests that the stock is trading below its historical valuation levels. As such, the P/E analysis aligns with the GF Value™ verdict, reinforcing the notion that BAX is undervalued based on historical earnings multiples.

What Does BAX's GF Score™ Tell Us?GF Score™ provides a comprehensive evaluation of a company's financial health, factoring in various elements such as financial strength, profitability, growth potential, valuation, and momentum. Baxter's GF Score™ of 66/100 indicates it is above average, but there are notable strengths and weaknesses within its sub-ranks.

MetricRatingGF Score™66Financial Strength5/10Profitability5/10Growth2/10Valuation8/10Momentum7/10The GF Score™ reveals that Baxter has average financial strength and profitability, indicating that while the company can meet its obligations, it has room for improvement in generating consistent profits. Notably, the growth rank is low at 2/10, suggesting challenges in expanding revenue streams. Conversely, the valuation rank of 8/10 highlights that the current stock price is appealing relative to its intrinsic value, making it a potentially attractive option for those focused on valuation metrics.

What Are Gurus and Insiders Doing with BAX?Currently, 13 gurus hold BAX stock, with 8 increasing their positions and 5 reducing them in recent quarters. This activity is a significant indicator for potential investors, as it shows a generally positive sentiment from knowledgeable market participants. The buying activity from multiple gurus suggests confidence in Baxter's future prospects, despite the current market fluctuations.

Moreover, the absence of insider transactions in the past 12 months could imply that insiders do not view the current price as an attractive entry point or that they are confident in the company's long-term strategy. This overall pattern may reflect a cautious optimism surrounding Baxter's potential recovery and future profitability.

What This Means for InvestorsBased on the analysis, Baxter International Inc
BAX -3.07% 66

appears to be undervalued according to GF Value™, with a significant margin of safety compared to its estimated fair value. However, the ongoing challenges of being a cash-flow-negative company and low growth prospects warrant careful consideration. Investors should weigh these factors against their investment strategy and risk tolerance. For further details, visit the Baxter International Inc (BAX) stock page.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is BAX's GF Score™?

BAX's GF Score™ is 66/100, indicating that the company is above average in its overall assessment based on various financial metrics.

Is BAX overvalued or undervalued?

According to GF Value™, BAX is undervalued, with a current price of $25.91 compared to an estimated fair value of $33.00.

What is BAX's P/E ratio?

BAX's forward P/E ratio is 12.6x, significantly lower than its 5-year median P/E of 30.5x, indicating it is trading below its historical valuation levels.

This stock alert was generated using automated technology and GuruFocus financial data to provide readers with timely and accurate market reporting. This content was reviewed by GuruFocus editorial team prior to publication. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].

On August 03, 2026, Baxter International Inc (BAX) shares rose 7.4% today, bringing the current price to $28.10. The stock has shown significant price performan

Baxter International (BAX -2.21%) probably didn't want this trading week to end. According to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, the veteran medical device purveyor's shares flew 19% higher over the period. That was hardly a surprise, as the company published a highly encouraging quarterly earnings report Thursday morning.

There's nothing as good as a double beat Baxter posted second-quarter sales of $2.96 billion, which was a 5% improvement over the same period of 2025. Of these, the company's take in its native U.S. rose 4% to $1.6 billion, while international sales advanced 7% to $1.4 billion.

Image source: Getty Images.

Net income under generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP) rose more steeply, to $135 million from the year-ago profit of $122 million. On a per-share, non-GAAP (adjusted) basis, profitability fell 5% to $0.56 per share.

On average, analysts tracking Baxter stock were modeling $2.8 billion for revenue and $0.37 per share for adjusted net income.

In terms of product categories, both of Baxter's revenue buckets saw sales increases. Medical products and therapies posted a 7% gain to nearly $2.1 billion, while healthcare systems and technologies rose 4% to $801 million.

Today's Change

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Current Price

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26.16

Popping on guidance Those tailwinds inspired Baxter management to raise its full-year guidance. It's now anticipating sales growth of 3% to 4% over the 2025 tally. Previously, it was guiding for a flat-to-1% increase. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) is projected to range from $1.95 to $2.15, up from the prior $1.85 to $2.05.

Baxter is solid, steady, and operating in a world where populations are getting proportionally older (and therefore requiring more medical care). It's well-positioned for continued growth, and with that, its stock is more than worthy of consideration as a buy.

Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

• Baxter International shares are climbing with conviction. Why is BAX stock up today?

Baxter Stock Gains After Q2 Earnings Beat, Raised 2026 GuidanceThe hospital product maker reported adjusted earnings of 54 cents, beating the consensus of 37 cents.

The results reflect the roll-through of higher-cost inventory produced at the end of 2025, as well as an unfavorable comparison to the prior year related to the reclassification of certain functional costs from SG&A to cost of sales.

These impacts were partially offset by a 11 cents per diluted share benefit related to an IEEPA tariff refund.

Sales increased 5% to $2.96 billion, beating the consensus of $2.795 billion, led by advanced surgery and drug compounding.

In an earnings conference call, Andrew Hider, president and CEO, said, “I am encouraged by our second quarter financial results that came in ahead of expectations, demonstrating continued steady progress on our strategic priorities and improved execution.”

“We are still early in our turnaround and have more work ahead of us. We are laser-focused on executing in the second half of the year as well as driving improved performance and long-term shareholder value creation.”

Medical Products Business Drives Revenue GrowthMedical Products & Therapies sales reached approximately $2.1 billion, increasing 7% on a reported basis and 5% on an organic basis.

The growth reflects strength within the Infusion Therapies & Platforms division, driven primarily by Drug Compounding and IV Solutions, partially offset by reduced sales within Infusion Systems, due to the previously disclosed shipment and installation hold of the Novum IQ LVP and Injectables.

Continued strong global demand for Advanced Surgery products also contributed to performance.

Healthcare Systems & Technologies revenues were approximately $801 million, increasing 4% on both a reported and organic basis, led by strong demand for Care & Connectivity Solutions products, driven by growth in Patient Support Systems.

Results also reflected growth in Front Line Care.

Baxter Raises Full-Year Sales and Earnings OutlookHider further commented, “We are raising our outlook for full-year organic sales growth to reflect the strong Q2 performance and our confidence in the back half of the year.”

Baxter raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings guidance from $1.85-$2.05 per share to $1.95-$2.15 per share compared to the consensus of $1.91.

The company also raised its 2026 sales guidance from $11.244 billion-$11.356 billion to $11.581 billion-$11.694 billion, compared to the consensus of $11.357 billion.

The company expects margins to expand in the second half of the year, driven by higher volumes consistent with typical seasonality, benefits from cost-structure actions, and the roll-through of higher-cost inventory shifting.

BAX Stock Price Activity: Baxter International shares were up 10.98% at $27.49 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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Key Takeaways Baxter's adjusted EPS beat estimates by 55.6%, while revenues rose 5% to $2.96 billion.Broad-based gains were led by Drug Compounding, IV Solutions and Advanced Surgery demand.Baxter raised its 2026 sales growth outlook to 3%-4% and adjusted EPS guidance to $1.95-$2.15. Baxter International Inc. (BAX - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations of 56 cents, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 36 cents by 55.6%. The bottom line declined 5% from the year-ago quarter’s level.

On a GAAP basis, the company reported an EPS from continuing operations of 26 cents compared to an EPS of 24 cents in the prior-year quarter.

Shares of BAX gained 16.6% in pre-market trading. Year to date, the company’s shares have gained 29.6%, outperforming the industry’s fall of 16.1% and the broader S&P 500 Index’s increase of 6.7%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

BAX's Revenue Mix Shows Broad-Based GainsRevenues from continued operations totaled $2.96 billion, up 5% year over year on both a reported and organic basis. The top line surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.9%. Growth was driven by broad-based gains across Baxter’s segments and divisions.

U.S. sales from continuing operations totaled $1.59 billion, up 4% on both a reported and organic basis. International sales from continuing operations totaled $1.37 billion, reflecting an increase of 7% on a reported basis and 5% on an organic basis.

International growth outpaced the domestic business, while organic growth matched reported growth companywide despite currency effects and the Kidney Care manufacturing and supply agreement.

Baxter's Segments Post Broad-Based GrowthMedical Products & Therapies

The segment includes the Infusion Therapies & Platforms and Advanced Surgery divisions. Sales in this segment totaled $2.08 billion, up 7% year over year on a reported basis and 5% organically. Growth was driven by strength in Drug Compounding and IV Solutions, along with continued solid global demand for Advanced Surgery products. The increase was partly offset by lower Infusion Systems sales due to the previously disclosed shipment and installation hold of the Novum IQ LVP, as well as weakness in Injectables.

Infusion Therapies & Platforms sales totaled $1.75 billion, up 6% year over year on a reported basis and 4% organically. Advanced Surgery revenues amounted to $331 million, up 12% on both a reported and organic basis. The division benefited from demand for hemostats and sealants, strong commercial execution across regions and steady procedure volumes.

Healthcare Systems & Technologies

The segment includes the Care & Connectivity Solutions and Front Line Care divisions. Total sales in this segment were $801 million, up 4% year over year on both a reported and organic basis. Growth reflected strong demand for Care & Connectivity Solutions products, led by Patient Support Systems, along with improvement in Front Line Care.

Care & Connectivity Solutions sales totaled $502 million, up 6% year over year on a reported basis and 5% organically. Performance benefited from higher Patient Support Systems volumes, execution against the U.S. backlog and growth across international markets. Front Line Care revenues were $299 million, up 2% on both a reported and organic basis, driven by Connex 360 momentum and the timing of large customer deals, partly offset by planned global product exits.

Baxter's Margins Remain Under PressureAdjusted gross profit was $1.14 billion, down 0.2% year over year. Adjusted gross margin contracted 210 basis points to 38.6%, reflecting the roll-through of higher-cost inventory produced at the end of 2025 and an unfavorable comparison tied to prior-year cost reclassification.

Selling, general and administrative expenses amounted to $735 million, up 2% year over year. Research and development expenses totaled $129 million, down 4%.

Adjusted operating income was $421 million, down 0.5% year over year. Adjusted operating margin contracted 90 basis points to 14.2%.

BAX's Cash Flow Supports DeleveragingCumulative net cash from operating activities at the end of second-quarter 2026 was $510 million compared with $118 million a year ago.

Management continues to target net leverage of about 3.0 times by the end of 2026 while maintaining an investment-grade credit rating. Near-term capital priorities remain debt repayment and organic investment in core platforms, innovation and productivity-enhancing projects.

Baxter Raises 2026 OutlookBaxter raised its sales and adjusted earnings guidance for 2026.

Sales from continuing operations are now estimated to grow 3-4% on a reported basis, compared with the prior projection of flat to 1% growth. Organic sales growth is anticipated in the 2-3% range compared with the earlier expectation of approximately flat growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at $11.36 billion, implying 1% growth.

Adjusted EPS from continuing operations is now projected in the band of $1.95-$2.15, up from the previous range of $1.85-$2.05. Medical Products & Therapies and Healthcare Systems & Technologies are each expected to deliver low-single-digit organic growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for adjusted EPS is pegged at $1.91 per share.

BAX’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to ConsiderCurrently, Baxter carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some better-ranked stocks from the broader medical space are West Pharmaceutical (WST - Free Report) , McKesson (MCK - Free Report) and Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

West Pharmaceutical reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.37, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.9%. Revenues of $872.3 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.2%.

West Pharmaceutical has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 16%. WST’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 17.4%.

McKesson reported a fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $11.69, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.1%. Revenues of $96.3 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.5%.

McKesson has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 13.7%. MCK’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 3.1%.

Cardinal Health reported a third-quarter fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS of $3.17, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.2%. Revenues of $60.94 billion missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.3%.

Cardinal Health has an estimated long-term earnings growth rate of 17%. CAH’s earnings surpassed estimates in the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 10.3%.

Baxter International (BAX - Free Report) reported $2.96 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 5.3%. EPS of $0.56 for the same period compares to $0.59 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.79 billion, representing a surprise of +5.95%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +55.56%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.36.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Baxter performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

Net Sales- Advanced Surgery- International: $149 million versus $148.08 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +8% change.Net Sales- Other- International: $26 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $30.08 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of -27.8%.Net Sales- Front Line Care- International: $73 million versus $72.3 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +1.4% change.Net Sales- Medical Products and Therapies- International: $1.13 billion compared to the $627.04 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +85% year over year.Net Sales- Care and Connectivity Solutions- International: $141 million compared to the $139.89 million average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +6% year over year.Net Sales- Healthcare Systems and Technologies- International: $214 million versus $212.18 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +4.4% change.Net Sales- Advanced Surgery: $331 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $319.26 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +11.8%.Net Sales- Other: $83 million compared to the $91.87 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of -25.2% year over year.Net Sales- Healthcare Systems and Technologies: $801 million compared to the $770.74 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +4.4% year over year.Net Sales- Care and Connectivity Solutions: $502 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $480.34 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +5.9%.Net Sales- Medical Products and Therapies: $2.08 billion compared to the $1.47 billion average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +57.3% year over year.Net Sales- Front Line Care: $299 million compared to the $290.4 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +2.1% year over year.View all Key Company Metrics for Baxter here>>>

Shares of Baxter have returned +14.2% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), indicating that it could underperform the broader market in the near term.

CompaniesJuly 30 (Reuters) - Medical products maker Baxter International (BAX.N), opens new tab on Thursday raised its annual profit forecast and beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly ​results, banking on robust sales of its medical ‌products such as IV solutions.

Shares of the Deerfield, Illinois-based company jumped 14% in premarket trading.

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Investors and analysts are closely monitoring whether the ​loss of enhanced, pandemic-driven subsidies under Obamacare, ​or Affordable Care Act, plans is reducing elective ⁠procedure volumes and demand for surgical products used ​in those procedures.

Baxter is in the middle of a ​turnaround effort, led by its cost-cutting actions, after a period of uncertainty around its infusion pump business.

The medical device maker ​said strength in drug compounding and IV solutions ​was partly offset by lower infusion systems sales following a hold ‌on ⁠its Novum pump shipments and installations.

Last quarter Baxter said the Novum infusion pump shipment hold is expected to remain in place throughout 2026 as customers await ​clarity on ​additional corrections.

Baxter ⁠now expects 2026 adjusted profit per share of $1.95 to $2.15, compared with its prior outlook of $1.85 to $2.05.

Second-quarter sales at its ​largest medical products and therapies segment, which includes IV ​solutions, ⁠rose 7% to $2.08 billion from a year ago.

The company earned 56 cents per share on an adjusted basis in the quarter, compared ⁠with ​estimates of 37 cents, according to LSEG ​data.

Revenue for the quarter came in at $2.96 billion, beating estimates of $2.80 billion.

Reporting ​by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

On July 24, 2026, Baxter International Inc (BAX) shares rose 3.4% to a current price of $22.40. This price is situated within a 52-week range of $15.73 to $29.3

The market expects Baxter International (BAX - Free Report) to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended June 2026. This widely-known consensus outlook is important in assessing the company's earnings picture, but a powerful factor that might influence its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on July 30. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis drug and medical device maker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.36 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -39%.

Revenues are expected to be $2.79 billion, down 0.6% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.53% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. Our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction) -- has this insight at its core.

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Baxter?For Baxter, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.99%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #4.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Baxter will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?Analysts often consider to what extent a company has been able to match consensus estimates in the past while calculating their estimates for its future earnings. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Baxter would post earnings of $0.31 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.36, delivering a surprise of +16.13%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates two times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Baxter doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

Expected Results of an Industry PlayerAnother stock from the Zacks Medical - Products industry, Tilray Brands, Inc. (TLRY - Free Report) , is soon expected to post loss of $0.02 per share for the quarter ended June 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -110%. Revenues for the quarter are expected to be $258.13 million, up 15% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus EPS estimate for Tilray Brands has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. However, a lower Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -100.00%.

When combined with a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold), this Earnings ESP makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Tilray Brands will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a leading global medtech company, will host a conference call to discuss its second-quarter 2026 financial results on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. Central Time. To participate in this conference call please follow this link https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/167756971 to pre-register for the call and receive the call information. This call is also being webcast and can be accessed through Baxter's website at www.bax.

Baxter International Inc. NYSE:BAX , a global medtech leader, today published its newly renamed 2025 Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s progress and refreshed approach to advancing a sustainable and responsible business model.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622741106/en/

Baxter Publishes 2025 Sustainability Report Highlighting Refreshed Strategy, Ongoing Commitment to Drive Meaningful Impact

“As we shape Baxter’s next chapter, our focus remains clear: making a meaningful difference for patients, customers and communities while working to create long‑term value for all stakeholders,” said Andrew Hider, president and chief executive officer. “The progress captured in this report is the result of the dedication of Baxter colleagues who bring our Mission to Save and Sustain Lives to life every day. Their commitment continues to drive Baxter forward and strengthen our ability to create lasting value for those we serve.”

The report highlights Baxter’s progress across key priorities in 2025, including strengthening collaboration with healthcare partners to improve patient care, driving operational efficiency and environmental sustainability, and advancing a culture of safety and well-being for employees. The company and the Baxter Foundation also continued investing in communities worldwide, including more than $32 million in contributions through strategic partnerships, product donations and employee matching gifts. Building on this progress and more than 30 years of environmental reporting, the company has refined its sustainability strategy and governance approach.

Refreshed Sustainability Strategy and Governance

Aligned to Baxter Growth and Performance System (GPS), which was introduced in 2025, the company strengthened its approach to sustainability governance with the establishment of its first chief sustainability officer role and newly created sustainability team, enhancing coordination and accountability across the enterprise.

Informed by the company’s recent double materiality assessment, Baxter has refreshed both its sustainability strategy and reporting to reflect a more forward-looking approach to long-term value creation for its stakeholders. The company’s refined sustainability strategy centers on three core areas: Deliver Sustainable Healthcare, Advance Climate & Resiliency, and Champion People & Communities. The refreshed areas of focus led to a new set of targets designed to drive measurable progress, replacing the 2030 commitments previously established. New targets include:

Net-Zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) across Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2050, aligned with a 1.5⁰ Celsius science-based target 100% renewable electricity by 2040 80% of supplier spend in priority categories with suppliers that have science-based targets by 2030 100,000 employee volunteer hours by 2031, along with a previously established goal to invest $275 million by 2030 in underserved communities The sustainability strategy and goals continue to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), with particular emphasis on advancing health and well‑being (SDG 3), water stewardship (SDG 6), responsible consumption (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13).

“When I joined Baxter as its first chief sustainability officer, I saw firsthand a culture grounded in care, collaboration and an unwavering commitment to patients,” said Renae Kezar, chief sustainability officer. “Sustainability is essential to enabling resilient healthcare delivery. Our sustainability strategy is designed to help ensure safe, reliable care while addressing the challenges facing healthcare and communities globally.”

Learn more and view the full report here.

About Baxter

At Baxter, we are everywhere healthcare happens – and everywhere it is going, with essential solutions in the hospital, physician’s office and other sites of care. For nearly a century, our customers have counted on us as a vital and trusted partner. And every day, millions of patients and healthcare providers rely on our unmatched portfolio of connected solutions, medical devices, and advanced injectable technologies. Approximately 37,500 Baxter team members live our enduring Mission: to Save and Sustain Lives. Together, we are redefining how care is delivered to make a greater impact today, tomorrow, and beyond. To learn more, visit www.baxter.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn and Facebook.

This release includes forward-looking statements concerning Baxter's sustainability strategy described in the release, including newly launched sustainability targets. The statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: the company may be unable to successfully introduce or monetize new and existing products or services or keep pace with changing consumer preferences and needs or advances in technology; the company’s operating results and financial condition have fluctuated and may fluctuate in the future, which may constrain the company’s ability to achieve its financial and other goals; the company has experienced in the past and may in the future experience manufacturing, sterilization, supply, or distribution difficulties; the effects of climate change, including legal, regulatory, or market measures related to climate change and other sustainability topics, could adversely affect the company’s business, results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows; the company is subject to laws and regulations globally, and its failure to comply with rapidly changing and increasingly divergent expectations of regulators in different jurisdictions could adversely impact the company; and other risks identified in Baxter's most recent filing on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and other SEC filings, all of which are available on Baxter's website. Baxter does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

Baxter is a registered trademark of Baxter International Inc. or its subsidiaries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260622741106/en/

Key Takeaways Baxter is advancing a turnaround strategy focused on operational discipline and balance sheet repair.BAX saw strong Q1 growth in Advanced Surgery and Healthcare Technology despite broader weakness.Baxter faces pressure from Novum pump regulatory issues, margin compression and flat 2026 sales outlook. Baxter International (BAX - Free Report) entered 2026 focused on executing a broad turnaround strategy aimed at restoring growth, improving cash flow and strengthening operational discipline. While innovation initiatives, solid demand in select businesses and improving balance-sheet trends support its long-term outlook, regulatory challenges, margin pressure and continued weakness in certain core segments remain significant near-term headwinds.

Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company have gained 8.9% so far this year against the industry's 23.2% decline. The S&P 500 Index has jumped 8.6% during the same time frame.

BAX, with a market capitalization of $10.1 billion, is a global medical technology company providing items, such as infusion pumps and intravenous solutions. The company has an earnings yield of 9.2% compared with the industry's 3.3%. It anticipates earnings to improve 3.2% over the next five years.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Positive Factors Driving ProspectsTurnaround Strategy Leading to Operational Progress: Baxter’s new management team is focused on stabilizing the business through its multi-pronged turnaround strategy centered on operational discipline, balance sheet repair and continuous improvement. The newly implemented Baxter Growth and Performance System (“GPS”) has already driven more than several improvement initiatives across the organization, helping improve execution, service reliability and working capital efficiency.

While the turnaround remains in its early stages, the framework introduces greater accountability by decentralizing P&L ownership and streamlining decision-making. This operational transformation should gradually restore consistency in revenue growth, improve margins and rebuild investor confidence.

Advanced Surgery and Healthcare Technology Remain Resilient: Despite broader operational challenges, Baxter continues to benefit from strong demand in several higher-growth businesses. Advanced Surgery revenues grew 10% in the first quarter of 2026, supported by steady procedure volumes and continued demand for hemostats and sealants across global markets.

In Healthcare Systems & Technologies, management highlighted strong momentum in Patient Support Systems and a healthy U.S. capital equipment order book, suggesting that hospital capital spending remains resilient despite broader macroeconomic uncertainty. However, continued execution will be critical to sustaining this momentum and offsetting ongoing challenges in other areas of the business.

These businesses represent strategically attractive segments with better growth profiles than legacy infusion-related products. This provides Baxter with an important growth cushion while management works through operational and regulatory challenges elsewhere in the portfolio.

Innovation Pipeline and AI Integration to Support Growth: Baxter is increasingly positioning innovation as a future growth catalyst, with management highlighting multiple recent product launches, including Dynamo smart hospital stretcher, Connex 360 connected-care platform, IV Verified automated medication labeling system and XR spine surgical table.

BAX is also aggressively integrating AI into both product development and internal operational workflows. Management emphasized that AI is already being deployed across connected-care infrastructure, manufacturing systems and quality workflows to improve clinical decision-making and operational efficiency. 

Baxter’s growing emphasis on incremental innovation and AI-driven healthcare solutions could gradually improve its competitive positioning and likely lead to stronger organic growth drivers.

Key ChallengesCore Business Performance Remains Weak: Baxter’s underlying operating performance remains weak. First-quarter revenues increased 3%, reportedly, but organic sales declined 1%, while adjusted EPS fell sharply 35% year over year to 36 cents. Multiple core businesses remain under pressure, including Medical Products & Therapy, Healthcare Systems Technology and Pharmaceuticals.

The company’s guidance for approximately flat organic sales growth for full-year 2026 indicates management does not expect meaningful near-term acceleration. While executives are emphasizing second-half improvement, current performance suggests Baxter is still operating well below its earnings potential.

Novum Infusion Pump Regulatory Problems Continues: The largest company-specific overhang remains Baxter’s ongoing Novum LVP infusion pump regulatory issue, which continues to prevent shipment and installation activity.

Management confirmed that the shipment hold is fully reflected in its full-year guidance. However, the company acknowledged that customer returns or product exchanges could still occur, creating an additional layer of uncertainty around future financial performance.

Although customer returns were immaterial during the first quarter, management repeatedly emphasized it remains prudent to maintain this risk assumption throughout 2026. The infusion pump portfolio accounts for less than 2% of total revenues, but the broader concern extends beyond lost pump sales into associated high-margin consumables, customer retention and reputational damage within hospital infusion systems.

Margin Compression Remains Severe: Baxter’s profitability deteriorated significantly during the quarter as multiple external and operational pressures simultaneously hit margins. Adjusted gross margin declined 500 basis points to 36.8%, while operating margin fell 390 basis points to 11%.

Management cited approximately $50 million of cost timing headwinds, higher tariff-related costs, elevated manufacturing expenses and lower production absorption. The company continues to estimate a full-year tariff-related headwind of approximately $80 million. In addition, it remains exposed to inflationary pressures from higher oil prices, freight expenses, semiconductor supply constraints and rising raw-material costs, all of which could weigh on profitability if they persist.

Although management expects roughly 500 basis points of second-half margin recovery, much of the pressure stems from external factors outside Baxter’s control. Sustained cost inflation could materially delay the company’s earnings recovery timeline.

Estimate TrendThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 revenues is pegged at $11.36 billion, indicating a 1% improvement from the previous year’s level.

The consensus mark for adjusted earnings per share (EPS) is pinned at $1.92, indicating a 15.4% decrease from the year-ago reported number. The consensus estimate for adjusted EPS has improved 1 cent in the past 60 days.

Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the same medical industry are Align Technology (ALGN - Free Report) , West Pharmaceutical Services (WST - Free Report) and Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) .

Align Technology, carrying a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 10.3%. ALGN’s earnings surpassed estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once, with the average surprise being 7.80%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

ALGN’s shares have gained 9.2% against the industry’s 4.2% decline so far this year.

West Pharmaceutical, currently carrying a Zacks Rank of 1, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 13.9%. WST’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 19.37%.

West Pharmaceutical’s shares have gained 20.2% against the industry’s 4.2% decline year to date.

Cardinal Health, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), has an estimated long-term growth rate of 17%. CAH’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 10.27%.

CAH’s shares have gained 5.2% against the industry’s 4.2% decline so far this year.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 8th, 2026

Shares of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the thirteen analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $19.80.

Several equities analysts have recently weighed in on BAX shares. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Baxter International in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. The Goldman Sachs Group dropped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $21.00 to $17.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 13th. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $21.00 to $19.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 11th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $21.00 to $19.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, December 12th. Finally, Evercore dropped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on BAX

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Baxter International A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BAX. Greenhaven Associates Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Baxter International in the 3rd quarter worth about $143,186,000. Dodge & Cox raised its holdings in shares of Baxter International by 10.1% in the 3rd quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 57,396,370 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $1,306,915,000 after acquiring an additional 5,274,750 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its holdings in shares of Baxter International by 477.6% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 1,725,251 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $32,970,000 after acquiring an additional 1,426,547 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Baxter International by 7.8% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 13,510,205 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $257,174,000 after acquiring an additional 972,891 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Baxter International by 35.6% in the 4th quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 3,410,689 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $65,216,000 after acquiring an additional 894,761 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

Baxter International Price Performance BAX stock opened at $16.62 on Wednesday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $18.87 and its 200 day simple moving average is $19.71. Baxter International has a 12-month low of $15.73 and a 12-month high of $32.68. The firm has a market cap of $8.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -8.98, a PEG ratio of 1.18 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a quick ratio of 1.56, a current ratio of 2.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.09). Baxter International had a negative net margin of 8.51% and a positive return on equity of 16.95%. The company had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.58 EPS. Baxter International’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.850-2.050 EPS. On average, analysts expect that Baxter International will post 2.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th were issued a dividend of $0.01 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio is currently -2.16%.

Baxter International Company Profile (Get Free Report)

Baxter International Inc is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products, pharmaceutical therapies and biotechnology-based solutions. The company’s primary business activities are organized around renal care, medication delivery, acute therapies, pharmacy automation, surgical care and biotechnology. Baxter’s offerings are designed to support patient care in hospitals, dialysis centers, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities worldwide.

In the renal care segment, Baxter provides hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis systems, water treatment equipment and related disposables, including dialyzers, bloodlines and catheters.

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DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a global medtech leader, is highlighting recent additions to its Global Surgical Solutions and Patient Support Systems portfolios, as well as its broad Advanced Surgery portfolio of hemostatic and sealing agents, at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Global Surgical Conference & Expo, taking place April 11-14, 2026 in New Orleans. New offerings include the AAT XR spine surgical table and the Dynam.

Posted by Defense World Staff on Apr 27th, 2026

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX – Get Free Report) and GN Store Nord (OTCMKTS:GNNDY – Get Free Report) are both mid-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, risk, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Risk and Volatility Baxter International has a beta of 0.62, meaning that its share price is 38% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, GN Store Nord has a beta of 1.86, meaning that its share price is 86% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations This is a summary of current ratings for Baxter International and GN Store Nord, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Baxter International 2 9 2 0 2.00 GN Store Nord 1 3 2 0 2.17 Baxter International currently has a consensus target price of $19.80, indicating a potential upside of 8.99%. Given Baxter International’s higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Baxter International is more favorable than GN Store Nord.

Insider and Institutional Ownership 90.2% of Baxter International shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Baxter International shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability This table compares Baxter International and GN Store Nord’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Baxter International -8.51% 16.95% 5.62% GN Store Nord 3.97% 6.31% 2.29% Earnings and Valuation This table compares Baxter International and GN Store Nord”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Baxter International $11.24 billion 0.83 -$957.00 million ($1.85) -9.82 GN Store Nord $2.54 billion 0.91 $98.86 million $2.06 22.33 GN Store Nord has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Baxter International. Baxter International is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than GN Store Nord, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary GN Store Nord beats Baxter International on 7 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Baxter International (Get Free Report)

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, develops and provides a portfolio of healthcare products worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Medical Products and Therapies, Healthcare Systems and Technologies, Pharmaceuticals, and Kidney Care. The company offers sterile intravenous (IV) solutions; infusion systems and devices; parenteral nutrition therapies; generic injectable pharmaceuticals; surgical hemostat and sealant products, advanced surgical equipment; smart bed systems; patient monitoring and diagnostic technologies; and respiratory health devices, as well as advanced equipment for the surgical space, including surgical video technologies, precision positioning devices, and other accessories. It also provides administrative sets; adhesion prevention products; inhaled anesthesia; drug compounding; chronic and acute dialysis therapies and services, including peritoneal dialysis (PD), hemodialysis (HD), continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT), and other organ support therapies. The company’s products are used in hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, ambulatory surgery centers, doctors’ offices, and patients at home under physician supervision. The company sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through independent distributors, drug wholesalers, and specialty pharmacy or other alternate site providers in approximately 100 countries. It has an agreement with Celerity Pharmaceutical, LLC to develop acute care generic injectable premix and oncolytic products; and a collaborative research agreement with Miromatrix Medical Inc. aiming to advance care for patients with acute liver failure. Baxter International Inc. was incorporated in 1931 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.

About GN Store Nord (Get Free Report)

GN Store Nord A/S provides hearing, audio, video, and gaming solutions in Denmark, rest of Europe, North America, and internationally. The company operates through GN Hearing and GN Audio segments. The GN Hearing segment produces and sells hearing instruments and products. The GN Audio segment supplies headsets, video cameras, and speakerphones for professional use and consumer products. It offers its products under the ReSound, Jabra, Beltone, Interton, Danavox, BlueParrott, FalCom, and SteelSeries brands. GN Store Nord A/S was founded in 1869 and is based in Ballerup, Denmark.

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Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when QuidelOrtho (QDEL - Free Report) reports results for the quarter ended March 2026. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates.

The earnings report, which is expected to be released on May 5, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus EstimateThis medical diagnostics company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.24 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -67.6%.

Revenues are expected to be $618.07 million, down 10.8% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions TrendThe consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 58.33% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings WhisperEstimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for QuidelOrtho?For QuidelOrtho, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -54.17%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #5.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that QuidelOrtho will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that QuidelOrtho would post earnings of $0.43 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.46, delivering a surprise of +6.98%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.

Bottom LineAn earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

QuidelOrtho doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

An Industry Player's Expected ResultsAmong the stocks in the Zacks Medical - Products industry, Baxter International (BAX - Free Report) , is soon expected to post earnings of $0.31 per share for the quarter ended March 2026. This estimate indicates a year-over-year change of -43.6%. This quarter's revenue is expected to be $2.6 billion, down 0.8% from the year-ago quarter.

The consensus EPS estimate for Baxter has been revised 1.7% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. However, a lower Most Accurate Estimate has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.60%.

This Earnings ESP, combined with its Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Baxter will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.