Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Thursday morning. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.850-2.050 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 2.280. The company issued revenue guidance of $3.0 billion-$3.0 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $11.3 billion.

Baxter International Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BAX traded down $3.53 on Thursday, reaching $18.74. 19,322,259 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 9,553,296. The company has a quick ratio of 1.18, a current ratio of 1.84 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.21. Baxter International has a fifty-two week low of $17.40 and a fifty-two week high of $37.74. The business’s 50-day moving average is $19.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $21.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -28.38, a PEG ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.59.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.53 by ($0.09). The company had revenue of $2.97 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.82 billion. Baxter International had a positive return on equity of 17.38% and a negative net margin of 3.09%.The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.58 EPS. Baxter International has set its FY 2026 guidance at 1.850-2.050 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Baxter International will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BAX has been the subject of several research reports. Wells Fargo & Company lowered their target price on 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. Citigroup decreased their price objective on Baxter International from $26.00 to $21.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 31st. Argus lowered Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, October 31st. Wall Street Zen cut Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Baxter International from $24.00 to $21.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have assigned a Hold rating and three have given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and an average target price of $21.40.

Baxter International News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Revenue beat and broad sales growth — Baxter reported Q4 sales of $2.97B (above consensus ~$2.82B) and said it delivered sales growth across all segments, showing demand resilience even as margins pressured. Business Wire: Q4 Results
• Neutral Sentiment: Detail resources and investor materials — the company posted its earnings press release, slide deck and conference‑call presentation for investors to review operational drivers and the new operating model. These materials may help assess whether margin issues are transitory. Earnings Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: EPS miss and contracting margins — Q4 EPS was $0.44 vs. consensus ~$0.53 and down from $0.58 a year ago; Zacks and other reports highlight margin compression as a key driver of the earnings shortfall. Zacks: Q4 Earnings Lag
• Negative Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance below Street expectations — management cut EPS guidance to $1.85–$2.05 vs. consensus ~2.28, citing persistent impact from hurricane‑related disruptions at a key plant; Reuters notes the guidance shortfall as the primary reason investors are selling. Reuters: Forecast Below Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and technicals — the combination of an EPS miss, weaker guidance and margin concerns produced a sharp intraday decline and elevated volume; the stock is trading below its 50‑ and 200‑day moving averages, increasing short‑term technical risk. Zacks: Stock Falls on Earnings Miss

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baxter International

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the 4th quarter worth about $46,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc purchased a new stake in shares of Baxter International in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $46,000. McMillan Office Inc. purchased a new position in Baxter International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,000. Finally, Parallel Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of Baxter International by 113.3% in the third quarter. Parallel Advisors LLC now owns 3,971 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $90,000 after buying an additional 2,109 shares during the period. 90.19% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.