Baxter International Inc vs Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. — how do they compare? Baxter International Inc trades at $21.78 (market cap $11.26B), while Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. trades at $86.5 (market cap $13.58B). The key difference: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. pays the higher dividend (3.8%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| BAX | SWK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.26B | $13.58B |
Sector | Health | — |
52-Week High | $29.22 | $94.12 |
52-Week Low | $15.80 | $62.12 |
Enterprise Value | $18.93B | $19.75B |
Dividend Yield | 0.92% | 3.8% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Baxter International (BAX) trades at $22.57, down 0.22% on the day, with mixed technical signals showing a bullish moving average trend but neutral oscillators. The company reported Q1 2026 earnings beat with $0.36 EPS versus $0.31 expected, though net income margin remains negative at -9.7%. Recent news highlights upcoming Q2 earnings call and sustainability initiatives, while analyst consensus sits at $22.67 price target with 42% buy ratings.
BAX faces fundamental challenges with negative profitability metrics and volatile cash flow, but valuation appears reasonable with P/S of 1.02. The stock offers potential upside to analyst targets if operational improvements materialize, though investors must weigh high debt levels and inconsistent earnings performance against turnaround prospects in the medical technology sector.
Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) trades at $86.53, down 1.92% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but recent earnings beats. The company shows modest revenue of $15.13B in 2025 and a net income margin of 2.44%, though profitability metrics like ROE at 4.17% remain subdued. A dividend of $0.83 was recently declared, with cash flow from operations positive at $971.20M. Analyst consensus is mixed with 43% buy ratings but a price target below the current price.
SWK faces headwinds from weak Tools & Outdoor demand and high debt, though cost-saving efforts and aerospace growth offer upside. The stock's valuation at a P/E of 35.46 appears stretched relative to earnings growth, suggesting cautious optimism hinges on execution improvements and debt reduction. Risks include consumer sentiment and interest rate sensitivity.
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 →Stanley Black & Decker Inc is a manufacturer of hand and power tools. The company operates three business segments: tools and storage, security, and industrial. Tools and storage, the largest segment by revenue, sells hand tools and power tools to professional end-users, distributors, retail consumers, and industrial customers. Security installs electronic security systems and provides electronic security services including alarm monitoring and video surveillance. Industrial sells engineered fastening products such as stud-welding systems, blind inserts and tools, and engineered plastic and mechanical fasteners. The largest end market is the United States of America.
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