BAX vs. ZTS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BAX and ZTS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | BAX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Baxter International Inc. | Zoetis Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Equipment & Supplies | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 9.12 billion USD | 52.79 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | October 27, 1981 | February 1, 2013 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BAX and ZTS by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | BAX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.06% | -3.75% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -24.34% | -19.61% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -42.22% | -23.21% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -50.75% | -31.25% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -3.90% | -16.86% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -39.13% | -26.48% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 10.92M | 5.41M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 7.52M | 3.28M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 39.53% | 31.55% |
| Beta | 0.59 | 0.98 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
BAX
-4.77%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 29.93%
- Q3
- 16.99%
- Median
- 9.28%
- Q1
- 5.10%
- Min
- -12.52%
BAX has a negative Return on Equity of -4.77%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
ZTS
53.56%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.85%
- Q1
- 5.40%
- Min
- -10.91%
ZTS’s Return on Equity of 53.56% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
BAX
-3.09%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 24.41%
- Q3
- 13.71%
- Median
- 10.08%
- Q1
- 5.96%
- Min
- -5.58%
BAX has a negative Net Profit Margin of -3.09%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
ZTS
28.21%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 40.67%
- Q3
- 19.07%
- Median
- 12.31%
- Q1
- 4.50%
- Min
- -9.91%
A Net Profit Margin of 28.21% places ZTS in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
BAX
-0.13%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 31.09%
- Q3
- 18.11%
- Median
- 15.07%
- Q1
- 8.48%
- Min
- -0.28%
BAX has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -0.13%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
ZTS
35.45%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 45.78%
- Q3
- 23.14%
- Median
- 16.68%
- Q1
- 7.98%
- Min
- -7.13%
An Operating Profit Margin of 35.45% places ZTS in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | BAX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -4.77% | 53.56% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -1.53% | 18.29% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -3.09% | 28.21% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -0.13% | 35.45% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 35.04% | 71.71% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
BAX
1.84
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 5.19
- Q3
- 3.00
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.86
BAX’s Current Ratio of 1.84 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
ZTS
3.64
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.65
- Q3
- 2.64
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.78
ZTS’s Current Ratio of 3.64 is in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
BAX
1.31
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.61
- Q3
- 0.76
- Median
- 0.45
- Q1
- 0.14
- Min
- 0.00
BAX’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.31. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
ZTS
1.31
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.35
- Q1
- 0.13
- Min
- 0.00
ZTS’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Pharmaceuticals industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.31. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
BAX
0.20
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 56.35
- Q3
- 25.56
- Median
- 9.60
- Q1
- 3.78
- Min
- -26.49
BAX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.20 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.
ZTS
15.44
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 43.60
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.37
- Min
- -42.71
ZTS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.44 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BAX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.84 | 3.64 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.95 | 2.28 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 1.31 | 1.31 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 0.20 | 15.44 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
BAX
4.51%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.15%
- Q3
- 1.76%
- Median
- 0.79%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BAX’s Dividend Yield of 4.51% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. While this may seem attractive, an unusually high yield can sometimes be a warning sign, reflecting a falling stock price or market concerns about the dividend’s sustainability.
ZTS
1.64%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.14%
- Q3
- 3.45%
- Median
- 2.17%
- Q1
- 0.33%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTS’s Dividend Yield of 1.64% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
BAX
90.20%
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 160.00%
- Q3
- 66.60%
- Median
- 27.49%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BAX’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 90.20% is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
ZTS
32.55%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 199.58%
- Q3
- 97.17%
- Median
- 53.47%
- Q1
- 22.97%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 32.55% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BAX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 4.51% | 1.64% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 90.20% | 32.55% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
BAX
--
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 67.29
- Q3
- 47.01
- Median
- 30.94
- Q1
- 23.91
- Min
- 10.79
P/E Ratio data for BAX is currently unavailable.
ZTS
19.88
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 45.19
- Q3
- 27.91
- Median
- 20.59
- Q1
- 15.08
- Min
- 3.79
ZTS’s P/E Ratio of 19.88 is within the middle range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
BAX
0.82
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.49
- Q3
- 5.41
- Median
- 2.86
- Q1
- 2.07
- Min
- 0.74
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, BAX’s P/S Ratio of 0.82 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
ZTS
5.61
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 8.87
- Q3
- 4.56
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.11
ZTS’s P/S Ratio of 5.61 is in the upper echelon for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
BAX
1.62
Health Care Equipment & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 10.85
- Q3
- 6.56
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 2.36
- Min
- 0.71
BAX’s P/B Ratio of 1.62 is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
ZTS
12.01
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.99
- Median
- 2.48
- Q1
- 1.53
- Min
- 0.59
At 12.01, ZTS’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | BAX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | -- | 19.88 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.82 | 5.61 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.62 | 12.01 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 16.18 | 23.52 |