Analysts Set Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) PT at $41.73

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) has been given an average recommendation of “Hold” by the eleven analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $41.73.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on BAX. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $44.00 to $42.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on Baxter International from $44.00 to $40.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, August 7th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Baxter International from $36.00 to $40.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 8th. TD Cowen lowered Baxter International from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $40.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Friday, May 10th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their target price on Baxter International from $38.00 to $37.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, July 10th.

Institutional Trading of Baxter International

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BAX. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new position in Baxter International in the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Baxter International during the first quarter worth $39,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in Baxter International by 205.4% in the 4th quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 953 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 641 shares in the last quarter. United Community Bank acquired a new position in Baxter International in the 4th quarter worth $43,000. Finally, Versant Capital Management Inc increased its holdings in Baxter International by 974.2% during the 2nd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 1,332 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 1,208 shares in the last quarter. 90.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Baxter International Stock Performance

Baxter International stock opened at $36.24 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $34.91 and a 200 day simple moving average of $37.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.97, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 0.57. The company has a quick ratio of 1.01, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. Baxter International has a 12-month low of $31.01 and a 12-month high of $44.01.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 6th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.68 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.66 by $0.02. Baxter International had a net margin of 17.79% and a return on equity of 18.47%. The company had revenue of $3.81 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.75 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.55 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 2.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts anticipate that Baxter International will post 2.91 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, October 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, August 30th will be issued a dividend of $0.29 per share. This represents a $1.16 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.20%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 30th. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.31%.

About Baxter International

Baxter International Inc, through its subsidiaries, develops and provides a portfolio of healthcare products worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Medical Products and Therapies, Healthcare Systems and Technologies, Pharmaceuticals, and Kidney Care. The company offers sterile intravenous (IV) solutions; infusion systems and devices; parenteral nutrition therapies; generic injectable pharmaceuticals; surgical hemostat and sealant products, advanced surgical equipment; smart bed systems; patient monitoring and diagnostic technologies; and respiratory health devices, as well as advanced equipment for the surgical space, including surgical video technologies, precision positioning devices, and other accessories.