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BAX vs. ELV: Baxter vs. Elevance Health Stock Comparison

How do Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV) both fall under the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group, but BAX is classified in Health Care Equipment & Supplies while ELV is classified in Health Care Providers & Services.

Company profile comparison for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
Profile ItemBAXELV
NameBaxter International Inc.Elevance Health, Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Equipment & SuppliesHealth Care Providers & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care EquipmentManaged Health Care
Market Capitalization13.34 billion USD91.96 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateOctober 27, 1981October 30, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BAX
ELV
GSPC
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
Total Return (1Y)45.72%35.51%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)-5.53%-0.68%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-17.96%1.10%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BAX
ELV
GSPC
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)42.31%35.05%
Beta (5Y)0.620.61
Max Drawdown (5Y)-80.61%-50.38%
Avg. Volume (3M)6.53M1.19M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BAX and ELV are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.980.89
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.421.25

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Baxter (BAX) reports a negative ROE of -9.04%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Elevance Health (ELV) reports 11.48%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

-9.04%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
BAX
-9.04%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.48%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
ELV
11.48%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Baxter (BAX) reports a negative net margin of -6.23%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Elevance Health (ELV) reports 2.55%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

-6.23%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
BAX
-6.23%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.55%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
ELV
2.55%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Baxter (BAX) at 9.88% and Elevance Health (ELV) at 4.22% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.88%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
BAX
9.88%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

4.22%

Max
35.43%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
ELV
4.22%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
ROE (TTM)-9.04%11.48%
ROA (TTM)2.71%4.01%
Net Margin (TTM)-6.23%2.55%
Operating Margin (TTM)9.88%4.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)33.37%26.43%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Baxter (BAX) at 5.72% and Elevance Health (ELV) at 12.62% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Elevance Health (ELV) reports EPS growth of -1.83%, ranked against its industry; Baxter (BAX) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
Revenue Growth (YoY)5.72%12.62%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.79%8.34%
EPS Growth (YoY)---1.83%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)--0.53%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Baxter (BAX) at 1.79 and Elevance Health (ELV) at 1.47 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.79

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
BAX
1.79
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.47

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
ELV
1.47
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Elevance Health (ELV) at 0.69 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Baxter (BAX) at 1.36 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.36

Max
1.88
BAX
1.36
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.69

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
ELV
0.69
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.791.47
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.360.69
Net Debt / EBITDA3.73-0.81

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Baxter (BAX) at 0.16% and Elevance Health (ELV) at 1.59% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.16%

BAX
0.16%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.59%

ELV
1.59%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Baxter (BAX) reports payout ratio above 100% at 154.67%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Elevance Health (ELV) reports 29.17%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

154.67%

BAX
154.67%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

29.17%

ELV
29.17%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.16%1.59%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)154.67%29.17%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Elevance Health (ELV) trades at 18.07 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Baxter (BAX) has no P/E ratio this period.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

--

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
BAX
--

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

18.07

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
ELV
18.07
Min
4.21
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): BAX does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; ELV is benchmarked against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Elevance Health (ELV) at 0.46 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Baxter (BAX) at 1.15 prices around its industry’s middle — ELV costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.15

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
BAX
1.15
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.46

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
ELV
0.46
Min
0.03
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Baxter (BAX) at 2.05 and Elevance Health (ELV) at 2.06 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

BAX

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.05

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
BAX
2.05
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31

ELV

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.06

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
ELV
2.06
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
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Baxter (BAX) vs. Elevance Health (ELV): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Baxter (BAX) and Elevance Health (ELV)
MetricBAXELV
P/E Ratio (TTM)--18.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)1.150.46
P/B Ratio (MRQ)2.052.06
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)9.16%8.69%