Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Reaches New 1-Year Low - Should You Sell?

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX - Get Free Report) shares reached a new 52-week low on Monday . The company traded as low as $27.12 and last traded at $27.28, with a volume of 345356 shares. The stock had previously closed at $28.79.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on BAX shares. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Baxter International in a research note on Wednesday, February 26th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $42.00 price objective on the stock. Argus raised Baxter International from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, February 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on shares of Baxter International from $38.00 to $36.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 21st. Finally, Barclays lifted their target price on Baxter International from $39.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Baxter International presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $38.56.

Baxter International Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $32.74 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $32.92. The company has a market cap of $14.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -21.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.43 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 20th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.52 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $2.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $2.67 billion. Baxter International had a negative net margin of 5.05% and a positive return on equity of 16.67%. On average, research analysts predict that Baxter International Inc. will post 2.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, February 28th were paid a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.42%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Baxter International's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -53.13%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Baxter International

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in BAX. CKW Financial Group increased its stake in Baxter International by 19.3% in the fourth quarter. CKW Financial Group now owns 2,625 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $77,000 after acquiring an additional 425 shares during the last quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC lifted its position in shares of Baxter International by 3.4% during the 1st quarter. Rothschild Investment LLC now owns 14,479 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock worth $496,000 after buying an additional 481 shares during the last quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB boosted its stake in Baxter International by 48.1% in the first quarter. MassMutual Private Wealth & Trust FSB now owns 2,021 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $69,000 after buying an additional 656 shares in the last quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. grew its position in Baxter International by 5.8% in the fourth quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 13,618 shares of the medical instruments supplier's stock valued at $397,000 after acquiring an additional 752 shares during the last quarter. Finally, CoreFirst Bank & Trust acquired a new position in Baxter International during the fourth quarter worth about $26,000. 90.19% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.