Analyzing Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) and PetVivo (NASDAQ:PETV)

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) and PetVivo (NASDAQ:PETV) are both medical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, profitability, dividends, risk and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares Baxter International and PetVivo’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Baxter International	17.79%	18.47%	4.91%
PetVivo	-1,016.64%	-1,319.59%	-299.92%

Institutional & Insider Ownership

90.2% of Baxter International shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 24.6% of PetVivo shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Baxter International shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 20.1% of PetVivo shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Baxter International and PetVivo’s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Baxter International	$14.89 billion	1.21	$2.66 billion	$5.20	6.78
PetVivo	$920,000.00	14.28	-$8.72 million	($0.86)	-0.91

Baxter International has higher revenue and earnings than PetVivo. PetVivo is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Baxter International, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Baxter International and PetVivo, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Baxter International	0	8	2	0	2.20
PetVivo	0	0	0	0	N/A

Baxter International presently has a consensus price target of $45.73, indicating a potential upside of 29.72%. Given Baxter International’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Baxter International is more favorable than PetVivo.

Volatility & Risk

Baxter International has a beta of 0.64, indicating that its share price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, PetVivo has a beta of 2.15, indicating that its share price is 115% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Baxter International beats PetVivo on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

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. It also provides administrative sets; adhesion prevention products; inhaled anesthesia; drug compounding; chronic and acute dialysis therapies and services, including peritoneal dialysis (PD), hemodialysis (HD), continuous renal replacement therapies (CRRT), and other organ support therapies. The company's products are used in hospitals, kidney dialysis centers, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, ambulatory surgery centers, doctors' offices, and patients at home under physician supervision. The company sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through independent distributors, drug wholesalers, and specialty pharmacy or other alternate site providers in approximately 100 countries. It has an agreement with Celerity Pharmaceutical, LLC to develop acute care generic injectable premix and oncolytic products; and a collaborative research agreement with Miromatrix Medical Inc. aiming to advance care for patients with acute liver failure. Baxter International Inc. was incorporated in 1931 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois.

About PetVivo

PetVivo Holdings, Inc., a biomedical device company, engages in the manufacturing, commercializing, and licensing of medical devices and biomaterials for the treatment of afflictions and diseases in animals. Its lead product is Spryng, a veterinarian-administered, intraarticular injection for the management of lameness and other joint afflictions, such as osteoarthritis in dogs and horses. The company's pipeline products also include therapeutic devices for veterinary and human clinical applications. PetVivo Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.