Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Price Target Lowered to $20.00 at TD Cowen

Key Points

• TD Cowen cut its price target on Baxter to $20.00 from $22.00, implying about a 15.9% upside; analysts collectively average a $19.91 target and the consensus rating is "Reduce" (2 Buy / 8 Hold / 3 Sell).
• Q1 results beat expectations—EPS $0.36 vs. $0.31 and 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.
• Market snapshot: Shares opened at $17.26, trade near the low end of a 52‑week range of $15.73–$32.68, the company has a market cap around $8.9B and roughly 90% institutional ownership.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX - Get Free Report) had its price target reduced by equities researchers at TD Cowen from $22.00 to $20.00 in a research report issued on Friday,MarketScreener reports. TD Cowen's price target suggests a potential upside of 15.91% from the stock's previous close.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $20.00 to $19.00 in a report on Friday. Evercore decreased their price target on Baxter International from $23.00 to $22.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 6th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Baxter International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, February 7th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Baxter International in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Baxter International from $25.00 to $27.00 in a report on Friday. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have issued a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average price target of $19.91.

Baxter International Trading Down 1.8%

Shares of Baxter International stock opened at $17.26 on Friday. Baxter International has a 52-week low of $15.73 and a 52-week high of $32.68. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.91 billion, a PE ratio of -9.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.62. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55, a current ratio of 2.31 and a quick ratio of 1.56. The company's fifty day moving average price is $17.92 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $19.18.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.05. Baxter International had a positive return on equity of 15.65% and a negative net margin of 9.70%.The firm had revenue of $2.70 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.62 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $0.62 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that Baxter International will post 1.91 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baxter International

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BAX. Basepoint Wealth LLC bought a new position in Baxter International in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new position in shares of Baxter International in the 2nd quarter valued at $46,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Baxter International in the 4th quarter valued at $46,000. Finally, McMillan Office Inc. bought a new position in shares of Baxter International in the 4th quarter worth $54,000. 90.19% of the stock is currently 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

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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