BAX vs. FMS: Baxter vs. Fresenius Medical Care Stock Comparison

Company Profile

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

Baxter (BAX) trades as ordinary local shares, while Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

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 Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) reports 7.84%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Baxter (BAX) reports a negative net margin of -6.23%, usually indicating a net loss over the period. Meanwhile Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) reports 4.22%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Both Baxter (BAX) at 9.88% and Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 9.63% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Baxter (BAX) at 5.72% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 1.51% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Only one side can be read here: Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) reports EPS growth of 83.61%, ranked against its industry; Baxter (BAX) has no EPS growth figure this period.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

Baxter (BAX) at 1.79 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 0.99 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for FMS.

Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 0.79 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Baxter (BAX) at 1.36 uses more debt funding than most peers.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

Both Baxter (BAX) at 0.16% and Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 6.30% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

Baxter (BAX) reports payout ratio above 100% at 154.67%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) reports 50.14%, ranking against industry peers normally.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) trades at 13.53 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Baxter (BAX) has no P/E ratio this period.

Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 0.62 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Baxter (BAX) at 1.15 prices around its industry’s middle — FMS costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) at 0.85 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Baxter (BAX) at 2.05 is valued near its industry’s middle — FMS is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

Valuation Metrics