Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Hits New 12-Month Low – Time to Sell?

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX)’s share price hit a new 52-week low on Tuesday . The company traded as low as $17.40 and last traded at $17.7850, with a volume of 989949 shares. The stock had previously closed at $17.77.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Baxter International from $25.00 to $19.00 in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Wall Street Zen downgraded Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 2nd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Baxter International in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Argus lowered shares of Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, October 31st. Finally, UBS Group dropped their target price on Baxter International from $24.00 to $21.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average price target of $23.70.

Baxter International Price Performance

The company has a 50 day moving average of $21.79 and a 200-day moving average of $25.93. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.10 billion, a P/E ratio of -59.08, a P/E/G ratio of 0.73 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a current ratio of 2.30, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, October 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.69 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.60 by $0.09. The business had revenue of $2.84 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.88 billion. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 1.42% and a positive return on equity of 16.96%. The company’s revenue was up 5.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.80 earnings per share. Baxter International has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 0.520-0.570 EPS. FY 2025 guidance at 2.350-2.400 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Baxter International Inc. will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.

Baxter International Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, January 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.01 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 28th. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.2%. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio is currently -6.06%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Baxter International

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT purchased a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the first quarter valued at approximately $27,000. CoreFirst Bank & Trust purchased a new position in shares of Baxter International during the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Baxter International in the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV lifted its holdings in Baxter International by 169.6% during the second quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 984 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 619 shares during the last quarter. Finally, MTM Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Baxter International in the second quarter worth about $30,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

About Baxter International

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.