Barclays Lowers Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Price Target to $25.00

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) had its price target cut by equities researchers at Barclays from $30.00 to $25.00 in a report released on Friday, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Barclays‘s price target would indicate a potential upside of 26.25% from the company’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also recently commented on BAX. Citigroup dropped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $26.00 to $21.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on Baxter International from $25.00 to $19.00 in a research note on Friday, October 31st. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on shares of Baxter International from $22.00 to $23.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $21.00 to $19.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Finally, UBS Group dropped their target price on Baxter International from $24.00 to $21.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and three have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $20.10.

Baxter International Trading Up 5.8%

Shares of BAX opened at $19.80 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21, a current ratio of 1.84 and a quick ratio of 1.18. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $19.79 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $21.21. Baxter International has a 1 year low of $17.40 and a 1 year high of $37.74. The firm has a market cap of $10.18 billion, a P/E ratio of -10.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.59.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $2.97 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.82 billion. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 8.51% and a positive return on equity of 16.31%. The business’s revenue was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.58 earnings per share. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.850-2.050 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Baxter International will post 2.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Baxter International

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Basepoint Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. CoreFirst Bank & Trust purchased a new position in shares of Baxter International in the second quarter worth about $27,000. Imprint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Baxter International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. MTM Investment Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Baxter International in the second quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV increased its position in shares of Baxter International by 169.6% during the 2nd quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 984 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 619 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Baxter International

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

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays kept an “overweight” rating and set a $25 price target (still a meaningful upside vs current levels), which can attract buyers and help stabilize the stock. Barclays adjusts Baxter International price target to $25 from $30, maintains overweight rating
• Positive Sentiment: Baxter reported revenue of $2.97B (beat estimates) and sales growth across segments, which some investors see as evidence demand is intact despite margin stress — a reason for selective buying into the dip. Baxter Reports Fourth-Quarter 2025 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Elevated short interest has been reported, which can amplify moves (short covering can fuel rallies but also increases volatility). That dynamic may explain some of today’s upside but is not a fundamental improvement. Looking Into Baxter International Inc’s Recent Short Interest
• Neutral Sentiment: Baxter declared a nominal quarterly dividend ($0.01 per share); it’s unlikely to move the stock materially but provides a small income signal to some investors.
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 EPS missed expectations ($0.44 vs. $0.53 consensus) and margins contracted — the earnings miss triggered the initial sell‑off and remains a negative catalyst. Baxter Posts Wider 4Q Loss, Says Results Missed Expectations
• Negative Sentiment: FY‑2026 EPS guidance (1.85–2.05) came in below Wall Street expectations (consensus ~2.28), largely blamed on manufacturing disruptions from Hurricane Helene — a clear reason for ongoing investor caution. Baxter forecast 2026 profit below estimates The Specter of Hurricane Helene Still Haunts Baxter’s Earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts trimmed price targets and some ratings were reduced (Jefferies lowered its PT to $19 and kept a “hold”), signaling lingering analyst concern and pressure on sentiment. Jefferies adjusts Baxter International PT to $19 from $21, maintains hold rating
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and commentators highlight margin compression, higher debt levels and the company’s difficult FY26 outlook — factors that could limit recovery until management proves margin improvement. Baxter International: Debt, Margin Pressure, Dreadful FY26 Guidance (Downgrade)

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.