Baxter International Inc vs Herbalife Nutrition Ltd — how do they compare? Baxter International Inc trades at $26.94 (market cap $14.27B), while Herbalife Nutrition Ltd trades at $11.76 (market cap $1.23B). The key difference: Baxter International Inc is far larger — about 11.6× Herbalife Nutrition Ltd's market cap, and Baxter International Inc pays a 0.14% dividend while Herbalife Nutrition Ltd pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BAX | HLF | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $14.27B | $1.23B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $28.35 | $19.96 |
52-Week Low | $15.80 | $7.75 |
Enterprise Value | $21.79B | $3.06B |
Dividend Yield | 0.14% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Baxter International (BAX) trades at $27.22, down 2.02% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong recent earnings beats. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.56, beating expectations of $0.3665, and raised full-year guidance. Despite negative net income margins and high P/E of 87.85, cash flow trends improved with 2026 net cash flow projected at $468 million. Recent news highlights a 7.4% surge on August 3, 2026, following positive quarterly results and a cash tender offer announcement.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic due to earnings momentum and raised guidance, but high valuation and persistent negative profitability pose risks. Analyst consensus is mixed with 41.67% buy ratings, a $25.43 price target, and institutional activity showing volatility. Key risks include margin pressures and debt levels, though operational improvements may support recovery.
Herbalife (HLF) trades at $11.695, up 1.52% on the day, with a bearish technical outlook per moving averages. The company reported Q2 2026 net sales of $1.3 billion, a 5.4% year-over-year increase, though EPS of $0.51 missed estimates. Valuation ratios appear attractive with a P/E of 7.53 and P/S of 0.24. Positive news includes being named to TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list, but a planned CFO transition in December 2026 introduces uncertainty.
The outlook is mixed; strong sales growth and low valuation metrics offer potential upside, but recent earnings misses, a high debt load, and negative shareholder equity pose significant risks. Analyst consensus leans bullish with 53.84% buy ratings, yet the stock faces headwinds from competitive pressures and margin volatility.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Baxter offers a variety of medical instruments and supplies to caregivers. It enhanced its portfolio of hospital-focused offerings by acquiring Hillrom in late 2021. Legacy Baxter offers tools to help patients with acute and chronic kidney failure. It also sells a variety of injectable therapies for use in care settings, such as IV pumps, and administrative sets.
Read more on BAX →Herbalife Nutrition Ltd is an international nutrition company.
Read more on HLF →