Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Hold” by Analysts

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAXGet Free Report) has received an average rating of “Hold” from the eleven research firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $40.45.

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $46.00 to $38.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, November 11th. Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of Baxter International from $37.00 to $35.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 11th.

View Our Latest Stock Report on BAX

Institutional Trading of Baxter International

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in BAX. First PREMIER Bank purchased a new position in Baxter International during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC bought a new position in shares of Baxter International in the third quarter valued at approximately $38,000. LRI Investments LLC grew its stake in Baxter International by 60.8% during the third quarter. LRI Investments LLC now owns 1,560 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $59,000 after acquiring an additional 590 shares in the last quarter. Cromwell Holdings LLC bought a new stake in Baxter International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $62,000. Finally, Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC lifted its stake in Baxter International by 247.3% in the 4th quarter. Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC now owns 2,622 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $76,000 after purchasing an additional 1,867 shares in the last quarter. 90.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Baxter International Price Performance

Shares of NYSE BAX opened at $29.41 on Monday. The company has a market capitalization of $15.02 billion, a PE ratio of 147.06, a PEG ratio of 12.74 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $31.58 and its 200-day moving average price is $34.80. Baxter International has a twelve month low of $28.33 and a twelve month high of $44.01.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAXGet Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 8th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.78 by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $3.85 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.85 billion. Baxter International had a return on equity of 18.30% and a net margin of 0.77%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.68 EPS. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Baxter International will post 1.92 EPS for the current year.

Baxter International Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 2nd. Stockholders of record on Friday, November 29th were issued a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, November 29th. Baxter International’s payout ratio is currently 340.00%.

Baxter International Company Profile

(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.

Further Reading

Analyst Recommendations for Baxter International (NYSE:BAX)

Receive News & Ratings for Baxter International Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Baxter International and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.