Zacks Research Has Negative Forecast for BAX Q3 Earnings

Key Points

• Zacks Research lowered Baxter International’s Q3 2026 EPS estimate to $0.51 from $0.53 and maintained a “Hold” rating. Forecasts for several subsequent quarters and fiscal years were also reduced, signaling expectations for softer earnings growth.
• Analyst sentiment remains cautious: Baxter has a consensus “Hold” rating, with two Buy, nine Hold, and two Sell ratings, and an average price target of $22.45—below the reported $23.50 share price.
• Baxter’s latest quarter exceeded expectations, with $0.56 EPS and $2.96 billion in revenue, while revenue rose 5.3% year over year. The company reaffirmed fiscal 2026 EPS guidance of $1.95–$2.15 and pays a quarterly dividend of $0.01.

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX - Free Report) - Zacks Research cut their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Baxter International in a research note issued to investors on Monday, September 28th. Zacks Research analyst Team now forecasts that the medical instruments supplier will post earnings of $0.51 per share for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $0.53. Zacks Research has a "Hold" rating on the stock. The consensus estimate for Baxter International's current full-year earnings is $2.04 per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Baxter International's Q4 2026 earnings at $0.60 EPS, FY2026 earnings at $2.04 EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at $0.50 EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at $0.52 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $1.98 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $2.11 EPS.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Citigroup raised shares of Baxter International from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $17.00 to $28.00 in a research report on Friday, July 31st. Wall Street Zen raised Baxter International from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. TD Cowen increased their price target on Baxter International from $20.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on Baxter International from $19.00 to $23.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, July 31st. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their target price on Baxter International from $19.00 to $21.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $22.45.

Baxter International Trading Up 0.0%

NYSE:BAX opened at $23.50 on Wednesday. Baxter International has a 12 month low of $15.73 and a 12 month high of $30.00. 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 market capitalization of $12.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.35, a PEG ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 0.60. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $25.22 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.20.

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, beating the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.19. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 9.27% and a positive return on equity of 16.57%. The company had revenue of $2.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.80 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.59 EPS. Baxter International's revenue for the quarter was up 5.3% compared to the same quarter last year. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.950-2.150 EPS.

Institutional Trading of Baxter International

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Baird Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in Baxter International by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 44,722 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $953,000 after purchasing an additional 476 shares during the period. Empirical Finance LLC increased its holdings in shares of Baxter International by 3.5% in the second 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 during the period. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC raised its position in shares of Baxter International by 52.4% in the second quarter. CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC now owns 2,153 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 740 shares in the last quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC grew its position in Baxter International by 22.8% during the fourth quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 4,452 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $85,000 after buying an additional 827 shares in the last quarter. Finally, New Mexico Educational Retirement Board grew its position in Baxter International by 4.7% during the fourth quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board now owns 24,261 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $464,000 after buying an additional 1,100 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 90.19% of the company's stock.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement

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

Baxter International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research modestly raised its Q2 2027 EPS forecast to $0.51 from $0.50, and a separate Zacks feature highlighted Baxter among medical stocks with potential earnings-surprise prospects. However, Zacks continues to rate the shares “Hold.” Zacks Research Issues Optimistic Estimate for BAX Earnings Why Investors Need to Take Advantage of These 2 Medical Stocks Now
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage indicates a consensus price target of $22.45, while reports said Baxter shares were trading above that level. This may limit near-term upside unless estimates or sentiment improve. Baxter International Inc. Stock Has Consensus Target Price of $22.45 Baxter International Stock Trades Above Analyst Target
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks lowered its EPS forecasts for Q3 2026 to $0.51 from $0.53, Q4 2026 to $0.60 from $0.62, FY2026 to $2.04 from $2.06, FY2027 to $1.98 from $2.07, and FY2028 to $2.11 from $2.15. It also cut Q3 2027 to $0.50 from $0.53 and Q4 2027 to $0.52 from $0.59. The reductions suggest softer expected earnings growth and could weigh on BAX despite the unchanged “Hold” rating.

About Baxter International

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.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.