Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) Given Consensus Rating of "Reduce" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Consensus rating: "Reduce" — Thirteen brokerages cover BAX (3 sell, 8 hold, 2 buy) and the average 1‑year price target is about $19.91.
• Q1 results beat expectations (EPS $0.36 vs. $0.31; revenue $2.70B vs. $2.62B), but margins contracted and EPS fell year‑over‑year from $0.62, leaving mixed sentiment despite the top‑line beat.
• Institutional investors own ~90.19% of the stock with large recent stake increases by firms like Dodge & Cox and Greenhaven; the shares trade around $17.26 with a market cap of ~$8.9B and a 1‑year range of $15.73–$32.68.

Shares of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX - Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of "Reduce" from the thirteen research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, eight have assigned a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $19.9091.

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Baxter International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Baxter International from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Friday, April 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $17.00 to $19.00 in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group decreased their price objective on Baxter International from $21.00 to $19.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Evercore lowered their target price on Baxter International from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Monday, April 6th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baxter International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Greenhaven Associates Inc. bought a new stake in Baxter International in the third quarter valued at approximately $143,186,000. Dodge & Cox raised its holdings in Baxter International by 10.1% during the 3rd quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 57,396,370 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $1,306,915,000 after purchasing an additional 5,274,750 shares during the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC raised its holdings in Baxter International by 477.6% during 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 purchasing an additional 1,426,547 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position 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 purchasing an additional 972,891 shares during the period. Finally, Russell Investments Group Ltd. lifted its position 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 purchasing an additional 894,761 shares during the period. 90.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Baxter International News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Baxter International this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 beat on revenue and EPS — Baxter reported $0.36 EPS vs. consensus $0.31 and $2.70B in revenue (vs. $2.62B expected); top-line growth was driven by strong demand in its medical products & therapies unit. Baxter beats quarterly expectations on strong demand for medical devices
• Positive Sentiment: Overseas sales and segment strength supported the beat and were singled out on the call/presentation, which helped push shares higher initially. Baxter International Inc. 2026 Q1 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation
• Neutral Sentiment: Management reiterated its 2026 growth views and emphasized execution improvements—this supports forward confidence but may not be enough to offset near-term margin concerns. Baxter Posts 1Q Loss, Backs 2026 Growth Views
• Neutral Sentiment: Dividend update: Baxter declared a token quarterly dividend of $0.01 per share (annualized yield ~0.2%); modest cash return that is unlikely to drive significant share moves. (No link)
• Neutral Sentiment: Detailed earnings call transcript and slide deck are available for investors who want granular guidance and margin commentary. Baxter International Inc. (BAX) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
• Negative Sentiment: Margins contracted and net income metrics remain weak — EPS declined year-over-year (from $0.62 to $0.36) and commentary noted margin pressure, which caps enthusiasm despite the beat. BAX Stock Gains on Q1 Earnings & Sales Beat, Margins Contract
• Negative Sentiment: Evercore cut its price target for BAX (while keeping an Outperform rating), signaling analyst caution and likely weighing on the stock. Evercore Cuts Baxter (BAX) Price Target, Keeps Outperform Rating

Baxter International Trading Down 1.8%

BAX opened at $17.26 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $8.91 billion, a P/E ratio of -8.10, a PEG ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a current ratio of 2.31, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55. The company's 50 day moving average is $17.92 and its 200-day moving average is $19.16. Baxter International has a 1-year low of $15.73 and a 1-year high of $32.68.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.05. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 9.70% and a positive return on equity of 15.65%. The business had revenue of $2.70 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.62 EPS. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts predict that Baxter International will post 1.91 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 Wednesday, July 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, May 29th will be paid a $0.01 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, May 29th. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Baxter International's dividend payout ratio is presently -2.16%.

About Baxter International

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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