The Goldman Sachs Group Cuts Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Price Target to $17.00

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) had its price objective trimmed by The Goldman Sachs Group from $21.00 to $17.00 in a research report report published on Friday morning,MarketScreener reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock.

Several other analysts have also recently weighed in on BAX. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d)” rating on shares of Baxter International in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Argus lowered Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Zacks Research cut Baxter International from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Baxter International from $19.00 to $15.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, December 2nd. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group decreased their target price on shares of Baxter International from $21.00 to $19.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have given a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $20.10.

Baxter International Stock Performance

NYSE:BAX opened at $19.80 on Friday. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $19.79 and its 200-day moving average is $21.16. Baxter International has a 1-year low of $17.40 and a 1-year high of $37.74. The company has a current ratio of 2.31, a quick ratio of 1.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55. The stock has a market cap of $10.19 billion, a P/E ratio of -10.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.59.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.44 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.09). Baxter International had a positive return on equity of 16.95% and a negative net margin of 8.51%.The business had revenue of $2.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.82 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.58 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.0% on a year-over-year basis. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.850-2.050 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Baxter International will post 2.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be paid a $0.01 dividend. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.2%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, February 27th. Baxter International’s payout ratio is -2.16%.

Institutional Trading of Baxter International

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. CoreFirst Bank & Trust purchased a new position in Baxter International during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV boosted 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 valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 619 shares during the last quarter. MTM Investment Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Baxter International in the second quarter valued at $30,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Baxter International in the third quarter worth $27,000. Finally, CYBER HORNET ETFs LLC purchased a new stake in Baxter International during the second quarter valued at $40,000. 90.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Baxter International News Roundup

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.