BAX
Baxter International Inc. Healthcare - Medical Devices Investor Relations →
Baxter International Inc. (BAX) closed at $21.73 as of 2026-02-02, trading 42.1% below its 200-week moving average of $37.54. This places BAX in the extreme value zone. The stock moved further from the line this week, up from -46.9% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 71, BAX is in overbought territory.
Over the past 2262 weeks of data, BAX has crossed below its 200-week moving average 28 times. On average, these episodes lasted 23 weeks. Historically, investors who bought BAX at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +16.0%.
With a market cap of $11.2 billion, BAX is a large-cap stock. The company generates a free cash flow yield of 23.5%, which is notably high. Return on equity stands at -4.7%. The stock trades at 1.5x book value.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in BAX would have grown to $580, compared to $2849 for the S&P 500. BAX has returned 5.4% annualized vs 10.6% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -28.5% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Growth of $100: BAX vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After BAX Crosses Below the Line?
Across 17 historical episodes, buying BAX when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +5.2% after 12 months (median +11.0%), compared to +14.5% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 59% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +22.2% vs +37.1% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment BAX crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
BAX has crossed below its 200-week MA 28 times with an average 1-year return of +16.0% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1983 | Dec 1983 | 3 | 4.1% | -41.0% | +1023.7% |
| Jan 1984 | Mar 1986 | 112 | 39.0% | -38.5% | +988.2% |
| Mar 1986 | Apr 1986 | 1 | 1.3% | +39.1% | +1145.6% |
| Apr 1986 | May 1986 | 1 | 0.2% | +37.9% | +1128.8% |
| Jun 1986 | Jul 1986 | 4 | 3.6% | +33.7% | +1122.5% |
| Aug 1986 | Oct 1986 | 9 | 14.9% | +50.2% | +1156.5% |
| Nov 1986 | Nov 1986 | 1 | 1.6% | +31.3% | +1167.0% |
| Sep 1988 | Jan 1989 | 17 | 12.1% | +26.9% | +1092.0% |
| Feb 1989 | Mar 1989 | 2 | 1.8% | +29.3% | +1044.1% |
| Apr 1989 | Apr 1989 | 2 | 0.9% | +21.4% | +1020.9% |
| Apr 1990 | Apr 1990 | 1 | 0.8% | +72.7% | +907.1% |
| Jul 1993 | Aug 1994 | 59 | 25.0% | +2.3% | +546.9% |
| Oct 1994 | Dec 1994 | 10 | 7.1% | +59.7% | +509.5% |
| Jul 2002 | Feb 2005 | 135 | 51.3% | -16.6% | +97.2% |
| Mar 2005 | Apr 2005 | 5 | 3.2% | +15.8% | +74.5% |
| Mar 2009 | Apr 2009 | 1 | 0.8% | +22.2% | +14.4% |
| Apr 2009 | May 2009 | 2 | 2.4% | +4.7% | +15.7% |
| Jun 2009 | Jun 2009 | 2 | 4.2% | -11.2% | +16.9% |
| Apr 2010 | Mar 2011 | 48 | 23.9% | +17.7% | +10.5% |
| Aug 2011 | Aug 2011 | 1 | 2.7% | +16.9% | +2.3% |
| Nov 2011 | Jan 2012 | 9 | 9.4% | +34.5% | +4.2% |
| May 2012 | Jun 2012 | 5 | 3.8% | +45.6% | +0.7% |
| Sep 2015 | Oct 2015 | 4 | 4.0% | +39.5% | -25.7% |
| Jan 2016 | Jan 2016 | 1 | 0.3% | +33.9% | -27.3% |
| Aug 2021 | Aug 2021 | 4 | 3.1% | -20.6% | -67.9% |
| Nov 2021 | Nov 2021 | 1 | 1.1% | -25.4% | -68.6% |
| Mar 2022 | Mar 2022 | 3 | 1.6% | -49.5% | -69.1% |
| Apr 2022 | Ongoing | 200+ | 56.3% | Ongoing | -68.9% |
| Average | 23 | — | +16.0% | — |
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of Friday close, 2026-02-02