Baxter International Target of Unusually Large Options Trading (NYSE:BAX)

Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Thursday. Stock investors purchased 8,450 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 108% compared to the average volume of 4,063 call options.

Baxter International Trading Down 0.9 %

Shares of BAX stock opened at $27.90 on Friday. Baxter International has a 1 year low of $26.25 and a 1 year high of $41.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $14.31 billion, a PE ratio of -21.80, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.93 and a beta of 0.64. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $32.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $32.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.31, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.43.

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 20th. The medical instruments supplier reported $0.58 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.52 by $0.06. The business had revenue of $2.75 billion for 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%. As a group, research analysts expect that Baxter International will post 2.48 EPS for the current year.

Baxter International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, April 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 28th were issued a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.44%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 28th. Baxter International’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -53.13%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

BAX has been the subject of several recent research reports. Argus raised Baxter International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, February 24th. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on Baxter International in a research report on Wednesday, February 26th. They set a “buy” rating and a $42.00 price objective for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on 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 boosted their price target on shares of Baxter International from $39.00 to $41.00 and gave the company 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 issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $38.56.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in BAX. Dodge & Cox lifted its position in Baxter International by 13.0% in the fourth quarter. Dodge & Cox now owns 50,377,294 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $1,469,002,000 after purchasing an additional 5,779,100 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of Baxter International by 22.3% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 15,359,040 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $447,870,000 after buying an additional 2,803,920 shares in the last quarter. Sound Shore Management Inc. CT acquired a new stake in shares of Baxter International in the fourth quarter valued at $72,450,000. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC boosted its stake in Baxter International by 35.1% during the fourth quarter. Thompson Siegel & Walmsley LLC now owns 2,548,215 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock valued at $74,306,000 after buying an additional 662,042 shares in the last quarter. Finally, ARGA Investment Management LP grew its holdings in Baxter International by 148.8% during the fourth quarter. ARGA Investment Management LP now owns 870,601 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $25,387,000 after acquiring an additional 520,633 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.19% of the company’s stock.

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.