Latest news with #BaxterInternational
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Baxter partners with Pieces for AI care solutions
Global medical technology company Baxter International has entered into a partnership to provide the Pieces Inpatient Platform, an AI-driven suite designed to optimise care coordination and documentation within hospitals and health systems across the US. Pieces Technologies' platform functionality is designed to complement Baxter's existing connected care portfolio. Baxter Connected Care Group Digital Solutions head Ryan Hochworter said: 'At a time when hospitals are increasingly interested in discovering the value that AI can offer, we are wholly focused on enabling real-life solutions that enhance and fit seamlessly into a care team's day-to-day experience. 'Offering Pieces Inpatient Platform to our customers will support the physicians, nurses, and patients we serve, and further our vision to redefine healthcare delivery through a connected care environment.' The platform presents an end-to-end solution for healthcare teams, automatically condensing electronic health records (EHR) into concise overviews, composing updates on patient progress, and compiling summaries to assess discharge preparedness. It also aids in decisions regarding the appropriate level of care, all within the current workflow. Based on the supervision of board-certified physicians and the Pieces SafeRead quality assurance technology, the AI-crafted overviews are designed to aid medical staff in reducing mental workloads while remaining within their EHR systems, thereby saving time. Pieces founder and CEO Ruben Amarasingham said: "We're proud to join forces with Baxter to deliver important AI solutions, like Pieces in Your Pocket and our utilisation management and discharge tools, all backed by SafeRead to ensure trusted, safe innovation at every step of care.' The partnership announcement comes after Oneview Healthcare's extension and expansion of its Value-Added Reseller Agreement with Baxter International in October last year. "Baxter partners with Pieces for AI care solutions" was originally created and published by Hospital Management, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
We Wouldn't Be Too Quick To Buy Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) Before It Goes Ex-Dividend
Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in 4 days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Thus, you can purchase Baxter International's shares before the 30th of May in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 1st of July. The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.17 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.68 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that Baxter International has a trailing yield of 2.3% on the current share price of US$30.12. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to check whether the dividend payments are covered, and if earnings are growing. Our free stock report includes 2 warning signs investors should be aware of before investing in Baxter International. Read for free now. Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Baxter International's dividend is not well covered by earnings, as the company lost money last year. This is not a sustainable state of affairs, so it would be worth investigating if earnings are expected to recover. With the recent loss, it's important to check if the business generated enough cash to pay its dividend. If cash earnings don't cover the dividend, the company would have to pay dividends out of cash in the bank, or by borrowing money, neither of which is long-term sustainable. It paid out an unsustainably high 277% of its free cash flow as dividends over the past 12 months, which is worrying. Our definition of free cash flow excludes cash generated from asset sales, so since Baxter International is paying out such a high percentage of its cash flow, it might be worth seeing if it sold assets or had similar events that might have led to such a high dividend payment. Check out our latest analysis for Baxter International Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends. When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. Baxter International reported a loss last year, and the general trend suggests its earnings have also been declining in recent years, making us wonder if the dividend is at risk. Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. Baxter International has seen its dividend decline 11% per annum on average over the past 10 years, which is not great to see. While it's not great that earnings and dividends per share have fallen in recent years, we're encouraged by the fact that management has trimmed the dividend rather than risk over-committing the company in a risky attempt to maintain yields to shareholders. Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Baxter International's financial health, by checking our visualisation of its financial health, here. Is Baxter International an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We're a bit uncomfortable with it paying a dividend while being loss-making, especially given that the dividend was not well covered by free cash flow. Overall it doesn't look like the most suitable dividend stock for a long-term buy and hold investor. So if you're still interested in Baxter International despite it's poor dividend qualities, you should be well informed on some of the risks facing this stock. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 2 warning signs for Baxter International you should know about. Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Years after a tampered IV bag became deadly, no new rules are in place. Survivors want to change that.
More than a year after a former Dallas anesthesiologist was convicted of tampering with IV bags, survivors and their families say they are still waiting for the medical industry to take action. "We almost lost him," Dovi Alderstein told the CBS Texas I-Team, referring to his son, Jack, who he says suffered a near-fatal cardiac event following a routine procedure at a surgical center in North Dallas. "It was the scariest experience of our lives." In late 2024, Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz was sentenced to 190 years in federal prison for secretly injecting dangerous drugs into IV bags at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas. His actions harmed ten patients and led to the death of Dr. Melanie Kaspar, a fellow anesthesiologist who used one of the compromised bags to treat her own dehydration at home. Now, victims are seeking accountability from the manufacturer of the IV bags themselves. A lawsuit and a familiar warning Attorney Bruce Steckler filed a lawsuit on behalf of Kaspar and her husband, John, against Baxter International, the manufacturer of the IV bags. The suit argues that the design of the bags allowed Ortiz to tamper with them without being detected, and that it didn't have to be that way. "This could have been avoided with a tamper-resistant design," Steckler said in an interview with the I-Team. "You can inject any kind of medication into that port without any sign of entry. That's exactly what happened here." Baxter is the largest producer of IV bags in the U.S., according to the lawsuit. The suit claims the company manufactures fixes — after-market foil seals and tamper-evident caps — that could deter or at least reveal tampering. In a statement to the I-Team from 2022, the FDA confirmed that standard IV bags "do not normally contain tamper-proof or tamper-evident features." Nearly three years later, despite the high-profile nature of the Ortiz case, the agency told the I-Team it has "no new information" regarding any regulatory changes. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy also confirmed they have "no new information" regarding guidelines. Echoes of the Tylenol murders The allegations have drawn comparisons to the 1982 Tylenol poisonings in Chicago, where seven people died after ingesting cyanide-laced capsules that had been placed on store shelves. In the wake of those murders, the pharmaceutical industry adopted strict packaging requirements, including triple-sealed bottles and tamper-evident warnings. "Why didn't Baxter get the message?" Steckler said. More than 40 years later, most over-the-counter medications still bear those protections; however, in medical settings, IV bags, which are often administered when patients are unconscious or sedated, appear to remain more vulnerable. Dr. Marvin Shepherd, the former director of the University of Texas College of Pharmacy, predicted in a 2022 I-Team interview that the FDA would impose new mandates after the Ortiz case. "It's highly probable," he said at the time. "Very probable." But so far, nothing has changed. IV bags vs "a jar of pickles" At the center of the lawsuit and the public call for reform is Melanie Kaspar. "She's the one that's not here. And we are," said Melody Naylor, a dentist who also suffered cardiac arrest after undergoing a minor procedure at the same surgical center. "So we have to speak for her." Naylor said her family now insists on inspecting IV bags before they're administered. They look for punctures, leaks or any signs of tampering. She said patients should remember they have a right to ask questions and to see the bags. But not all signs are visible. Ortiz tampered with the IV bags in a way that was subtle and left no clear puncture mark. Even Kaspar, a trained anesthesiologist, could not detect it. "There is no reason that you should have greater confidence in the fact that the jar of pickles that you buy at the supermarket hasn't been tampered with than you are that your IV bag hasn't been tampered with," Alderstein said. The father said he believes a basic safety seal, the kind used on common foods and household items, might have saved lives. "It would have prevented it entirely," Alderstein said. "Jack wouldn't have gone through that. None of the victims would have. And most importantly, Dr. Kaspar would still be with us." Baxter responds Baxter International sent the I-Team the following statement: "As a matter of course, Baxter does not comment on pending litigation." In court documents responding to the lawsuit, Baxter issued a general denial stating, among its defenses, the incident was "caused solely by … criminal acts… ." It also states the IV bags were "designed, manufactured, and sold in compliance with all applicable codes, standards, regulations, and … laws." North Texas hospitals The I-Team reached out to seven major hospital systems in North Texas to ask whether the Ortiz case prompted changes to how IV bags are stored, monitored or sourced. Four of the facilities, including Methodist Health System, UT Southwestern, Texas Health Resources and Parkland Health did not respond despite repeated inquiries. Medical City Healthcare and JPS Health Network replied but did not answer the questions. Baylor Scott & White, where the tampering occurred, issued the only statement: "Immediately upon determining an IV bag had potentially been compromised, Surgicare North Dallas ceased all operations, notified local and federal authorities and engaged several experts to review its protocols and procedures. The facility decided to resume operations more than four weeks later, only after extensive investigation and the issuance of the Department of Justice's criminal complaint against Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz, which noted investigators' belief that the problem was limited to one individual. Our priorities in the matter were always the safety and wellbeing of our patients and seeing justice served. It is important to note that anesthesiologists, like Dr. Ortiz, are authorized users of IV fluids and medications in a surgical care setting, and IV fluids and medications must be made readily available to authorized users for safe patient care. The handling and storage of IV bags and medications at the facility was reviewed and deemed appropriate by experts and in line with industry standards. And we continuously review processes and safeguards to assure the highest levels of patient safety. Surgicare North Dallas is accredited by The Joint Commission, licensed by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, and it is certified and approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services." What can patients do? IV bags vary in design. Some include protective caps on both ports, while others do not. Most of them arrive in a plastic overwrap with a printed warning to inspect for damage. Patients should remember they are also customers and have the right to ask to see the bag. Ask who is preparing and administering the IV: Hospitals should be transparent about who is handling medication. Patients can ask that an IV be prepared in their presence or by a licensed professional under supervision. Hospitals should be transparent about who is handling medication. Patients can ask that an IV be prepared in their presence or by a licensed professional under supervision. Look for clean, sealed packaging: IV bags should come in sealed plastic wraps. If a bag appears opened, cloudy or is leaking, ask for a new one. IV bags should come in sealed plastic wraps. If a bag appears opened, cloudy or is leaking, ask for a new one. Do not hesitate to speak up: If anything seems off, from the appearance of the IV to the person administering it, or how you're feeling after receiving it, let someone know immediately. Ask for a supervisor or patient advocate if needed. If anything seems off, from the appearance of the IV to the person administering it, or how you're feeling after receiving it, let someone know immediately. Ask for a supervisor or patient advocate if needed. Have a family member or advocate present: For patients who are sedated or cannot monitor their own care, having someone at bedside who can observe, ask questions and raise concerns can be critical. For patients who are sedated or cannot monitor their own care, having someone at bedside who can observe, ask questions and raise concerns can be critical. Request documentation: Patients can ask for a record of what medications were administered and when. This can help in follow-up care or in the event of complications. Patients can ask for a record of what medications were administered and when. This can help in follow-up care or in the event of complications. Report concerns: If a patient suspects something went wrong, they can report it to the hospital's patient safety office. These reports can trigger investigations that protect others. Even for someone who follows all of this advice, there is no guarantee. That is why the victims of the Ortiz case are hoping the lawsuit inspires a change with Baxter as well as the entire industry. "You'd like to think after all of this that they would've done the right thing," Steckler said. The case is scheduled to go to trial in May of 2026.
India.com
19-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Ensuring Code Meets Cure: How Lalitha Amarapalli Turns Lines of Software into Lines of Defense
Data is now the lifeblood of pharmaceuticals and medical-device innovation, flowing through everything from laboratory instruments to global supply chains. Yet if that data is not validated—formally proven to be complete, consistent, and tamper-proof—regulators can halt production and patients can be put at risk. Computer System Validation (CSV) is therefore a high-stakes, niche discipline that blends software engineering, quality science, and regulatory law. The U.S. FDA's growing focus on data-integrity citations and the industry's adoption of cloud platforms and AI have made seasoned CSV leaders exceptionally scarce. From Bench to Boardroom: Lalitha's Validation Journey That scarcity helps explain why Lalitha Amarapalli's phone rarely stops ringing. She began in 2011 as a research assistant at Governors State University, calibrating LC–MS instruments and publishing on nanoparticle drug delivery. 'I realised early on,' she recalls, 'that every spectral peak and every byte of metadata could make or break a therapy.' Her chemistry background gave her a laboratory-level appreciation for data integrity, while her master's research on mercury-filter nanomaterials honed the risk-assessment mindset she would later bring to software. By 2014, she was working at Baxter International, helping validate quality management systems and designing traceability matrices for TrackWise® workflows used to manage corrective actions and complaints. 'Moving from lab work to a big global company taught me that validation isn't just about filling out forms—it's about applying solid engineering practices to ensure compliance,' she says. After that, she took on a role at Johnson & Johnson, where she worked on financial and pricing systems under SOX-404 regulations. This added more variety to her experience in both manufacturing and corporate governance. Along the way, she also earned the Certified Software Quality Engineer credential from ASQ, which helped boost her reputation with auditors and company leaders. Crafting a Culture of Compliance Lalitha's leadership came to the fore when she was tapped to build a CSV centre of excellence for a top-ten injectable-therapeutics company. She supervised specialists spanning learning-management systems, lab-information systems, and ERP integrations, while devising risk-based remediation plans that survived FDA and EU inspections unscathed. 'I treat every validation project as a living system,' she notes. 'Change control, supplier audits, even metadata reviews—each piece feeds the patient-safety ecosystem.' Peers point to her rare ability to translate regulatory language into executable test logic. At Baxter she wrote positive- and negative-path scripts that uncovered interface defects in TrackWise web services before they reached production. At J&J she harmonised design-specification templates across MDM, Medicaid-pricing, and contract-payment systems, saving the program hundreds of analyst hours. She also serves as an internal change-control-board representative, a role generally reserved for senior quality directors. 'The board relies on me,' Lalitha explains, 'because I can articulate the technical risk in terms executives understand.' Multiplying Impact Across the Sector Her influence extends well beyond company walls. Lalitha guest-lectures on CSV strategy at professional-society workshops, mentors early-career validation engineers through ASQ chapters, and has co-authored white papers on agile validation that are now referenced in GAMP® 5 forums. She routinely leads supplier-quality summits, coaching contract-manufacturing partners on data-integrity pitfalls before problems surface. One peer notes that her 'train-the-trainer' sessions have helped decentralised plants cut corrective-action backlogs by 25 percent in under a year. This outward-facing work has amplified her profile and spread modern validation practices across a network of manufacturers, test labs, and software vendors, making her contributions unusually visible in what is typically an invisible discipline. Validation as a Strategic Imperative CSV expertise has never been more critical. Cloud-native laboratory platforms, real-world-evidence analytics, and AI-driven predictive maintenance all depend on trustworthy data pipelines. Regulators have responded with draft guidance extending 21 CFR Part 11 principles to modern agile and DevOps workflows territory where few traditional QA teams feel comfortable. Lalitha is already piloting sprint-based validation approaches that map user-story acceptance criteria directly to automated test evidence. 'My goal is to make compliance an accelerator, not a bottleneck,' she says. Her trajectory from nanoparticle research to enterprise-wide CSV leadership illustrates why the industry views her as both a rarity and a bellwether. As manufacturers race to digitise everything from cold-chain logistics to combination-product design, professionals who can secure that digital fabric will define competitive advantage. Lalitha Amarapalli has spent more than a decade proving that rigorous validation can coexist with rapid innovation and that, in the end, safe software is as life-saving as any active ingredient
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BAX Q1 Earnings Call: Revenue Tops Expectations, Margins Face Tariff and Cost Pressures
Healthcare company Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) reported revenue ahead of Wall Street's expectations in Q1 CY2025, with sales up 5.4% year on year to $2.63 billion. The company expects next quarter's revenue to be around $2.82 billion, close to analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.55 per share was 14.8% above analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy BAX? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $2.63 billion vs analyst estimates of $2.58 billion (5.4% year-on-year growth, 1.9% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.55 vs analyst estimates of $0.48 (14.8% beat) Adjusted EBITDA: $639 million vs analyst estimates of $484.8 million (24.3% margin, 31.8% beat) Revenue Guidance for Q2 CY2025 is $2.82 billion at the midpoint, roughly in line with what analysts were expecting Management slightly raised its full-year Adjusted EPS guidance to $2.51 at the midpoint Operating Margin: 2.2%, down from 4.6% in the same quarter last year Free Cash Flow was -$315 million compared to -$13 million in the same quarter last year Constant Currency Revenue rose 7% year on year (2% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $15.55 billion Baxter International's first quarter results were primarily driven by robust sales growth across all its business segments, with notable outperformance in Medical Products & Therapies (MPT) and Healthcare Systems & Technologies (HST). Management attributed the top-line beat to increased demand for infusion systems, a strong recovery in IV solutions supply, and competitive wins in patient support systems. In addition, distributors began rebuilding inventory earlier than anticipated, and the company benefited from operational efficiencies, which helped offset ongoing cost pressures. Looking ahead, Baxter's guidance reflects both confidence in underlying business momentum and caution regarding external factors. Management highlighted persistent macroeconomic uncertainty, the impact of new and proposed global tariffs, and the ongoing transition following the sale of the Kidney Care business. CFO Joel Grade emphasized a continued focus on operational efficiency and targeted investments in innovation, while noting that new tariffs and foreign exchange headwinds are expected to weigh on margins for the remainder of the year. Baxter's leadership identified several key operational and market factors that shaped Q1 performance and set the context for the rest of the year. Strong segment growth, supply chain recovery, and competitive gains in core franchises were central themes. MPT Segment Outperformance: Medical Products & Therapies growth was supported by double-digit gains in U.S. infusion systems, led by the ongoing Novum IQ pump rollout. The business also benefited from improved supply and backorder clearance in nutrition products. IV Solutions Supply Recovery: The North Cove IV solutions facility returned to pre-disruption production levels, enabling removal of product allocations and prompting some hospitals and distributors to rebuild inventory ahead of schedule. Management expects continued conservation in hospital usage but anticipates normalization as allocations are lifted. HST Segment Momentum: Healthcare Systems & Technologies saw strong U.S. capital orders, particularly in Care and Connectivity Solutions. Management credited competitive wins in patient support and ICU product lines, as well as a healthy backlog supporting future growth. Tariff and Cost Mitigation Efforts: New global tariffs, particularly those affecting U.S. and China trade, emerged as a headwind. Management outlined mitigation strategies including supply chain optimization, selective pricing actions, and advocacy for product exemptions to offset estimated impacts. Ongoing Strategic Transformation: Baxter is transitioning following the sale of its Kidney Care business. Management highlighted ongoing cost containment efforts, reallocation of stranded costs, and investments in innovation, all intended to support long-term margin expansion and growth. Management's outlook for the coming quarters hinges on navigating macroeconomic headwinds, capitalizing on backlog strength, and executing operational improvements to drive sustainable growth and margin recovery. Tariff and FX Headwinds: The company expects new tariffs and adverse foreign exchange rates to pressure operating margins, with mitigation efforts only partially offsetting these impacts in the near term. Backlog and Capital Demand: A strong order book in Care and Connectivity Solutions and ongoing recovery in healthcare capital spending are expected to support revenue stability, though management is monitoring for demand shifts due to customer reimbursement challenges. Operational Efficiency and Innovation: Baxter is prioritizing supply chain optimization, targeted pricing, and accelerated investment in new product development to offset cost pressures and lay the groundwork for future margin expansion. Joanne Wuensch (Citi): Asked about specific mitigation strategies for tariffs and the sustainability of HST growth. Management detailed supply chain adjustments and targeted pricing, while maintaining a conservative outlook despite strong backlog. David Roman (Goldman Sachs): Queried the impact of IV solution allocation removal and long-term changes in hospital inventory practices. Management expects ongoing conservation but predicts gradual normalization as allocations end. Travis Steed (BofA Securities): Questioned margin pressures from cost reclassifications and the trajectory back to pre-pandemic margins. Management cited temporary impacts from MSA income and planning costs, with long-term margin expansion tied to innovation and product mix. Vijay Kumar (Evercore ISI): Sought clarification on the deceleration in Q2 growth and Novum IQ's market share gains. Management attributed Q2 guidance to ongoing IV solution conservation and built-in conservatism, while confirming Novum IQ has achieved low single-digit share gains. Pito Chickering (Deutsche Bank): Asked for a bridge between previous and updated EPS guidance given operational and tariff impacts, and probed drivers of U.S. CCS wins. Management pointed to strong operational execution offset by tariffs and FX, and highlighted commercial progress and digital enhancements in CCS. In the coming quarters, the StockStory team will track (1) progress on tariff mitigation and supply chain adjustments, (2) evidence of sustained order growth and backlog conversion in the HST segment, and (3) normalization in IV solutions demand as hospital inventory practices adjust. We will also monitor execution on new product launches and any updates on permanent CEO selection, as both could significantly affect Baxter's strategic direction. Baxter currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12×. In the wake of earnings, is it a buy or sell? Find out in our free research report. The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 176% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Comfort Systems (+782% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today.
