The Goldman Sachs Group Has Lowered Expectations for Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Stock Price

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) had its price objective dropped by equities research analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from $21.00 to $17.00 in a research note issued to investors on Friday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. The Goldman Sachs Group’s price target suggests a potential downside of 14.15% from the company’s current price.

Several other analysts also recently commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Baxter International from $21.00 to $19.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 12th. Wall Street Zen cut Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Baxter International from $25.00 to $19.00 in a research note on Friday, October 31st. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Baxter International from $30.00 to $25.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, Zacks Research downgraded shares of Baxter International from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Reduce” and a consensus target price of $20.10.

Baxter International Stock Up 5.8%

BAX stock 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 stock has a market capitalization of $10.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a 50-day moving average of $19.79 and a two-hundred day moving average of $21.26. Baxter International has a 52-week low of $17.40 and a 52-week high of $37.74.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.53 by ($0.09). Baxter International had a negative net margin of 8.51% and a positive return on equity of 16.31%. The firm had revenue of $2.97 billion during 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 business’s 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. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Baxter International will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Baxter International

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of BAX. Basepoint Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Baxter International during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. CoreFirst Bank & Trust acquired a new position in Baxter International during the second quarter worth $27,000. Imprint Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Baxter International during the third quarter worth $27,000. MTM Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Baxter International during the second quarter worth $30,000. Finally, Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV lifted its stake in Baxter International by 169.6% in the second 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. Institutional investors own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about 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)

Baxter International Company Profile

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.