The Goldman Sachs Group Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Stock

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) had its price target lifted by research analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from $19.00 to $21.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. The Goldman Sachs Group’s price target would suggest a potential downside of 6.10% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the company. Citigroup lowered Baxter International from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $19.00 to $17.00 in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. Zacks Research downgraded Baxter International from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Monday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Baxter International in a report on Friday, May 15th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on shares of Baxter International from $20.00 to $19.00 in a research report on Friday, May 1st. Finally, Barclays upped their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $25.00 to $27.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 1st. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and four have given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Baxter International presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $19.91.

Baxter International Price Performance

NYSE BAX traded up $0.56 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $22.36. The stock had a trading volume of 939,763 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,437,932. Baxter International has a twelve month low of $15.73 and a twelve month high of $29.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.55 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.50, a PEG ratio of 3.63 and a beta of 0.62. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $19.93 and its 200 day moving average is $19.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.43, a current ratio of 1.85 and a quick ratio of 1.23.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 30th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.31 by $0.05. The company had revenue of $2.70 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.62 billion. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 9.70% and a positive return on equity of 16.15%. Baxter International’s quarterly revenue was up 2.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.62 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that Baxter International will post 1.92 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baxter International

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Imprint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Baxter International during the third quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Basepoint Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Baxter International in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. MUFG Securities EMEA plc acquired a new stake in Baxter International in the second quarter worth about $46,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Baxter International in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $46,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc grew its position in Baxter International by 552.2% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,413 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 2,043 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

Baxter International News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Baxter announced an update to its segment reporting structure and metrics, effective with the quarter ended June 30, 2026, which could improve transparency for investors and make results easier to evaluate. Baxter International Updates Segment Reporting Structure and Metrics
• Positive Sentiment: A recent article highlighted that Baxter’s stock showed a “golden cross” technical pattern, where the 50-day moving average moved above the 200-day moving average, a signal often watched by momentum traders. AbbVie vs Baxter: One Golden Cross Is Real, One Is a Trap
• Neutral Sentiment: Zacks Research cut multiple earnings estimates for Baxter, including FY2026 to $1.83 from $1.87 and FY2027 to $1.90 from $1.91, while also lowering near-term quarterly forecasts. The firm also reiterated a bearish “Strong Sell” rating, which is a negative fundamental backdrop for the shares. Zacks.com

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.