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Baxter International Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 30 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Sales rose 5% on both bases: Second-quarter sales were about $2.96 billion, up 5% reported and organic, after first-quarter sales that rose 3% reported and declined 1% organic. Source
  • Adjusted EPS fell 5% year on year: Adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.56 against $0.59 a year earlier, down 5%. Source
  • Tariff refund added $0.11 per share: A tariff refund under IEEPA added $0.11 per diluted share, partly offsetting the cost effects discussed in the quarter. Source
  • Medical Products & Therapies grew 7%: MPT sales of about $2.1 billion rose 7% reported and 5% organic. Source
  • Infusion Therapies & Platforms led growth: Infusion Therapies & Platforms sales of $1,745 million rose 6% reported and 4% organic. Source
  • Free cash flow reached $181 million: Free cash flow was $181 million in the second quarter and $257 million for the first half. Source
  • Strategy anchored in GPS system: Management said it is using the Baxter Growth and Performance System to stabilize the business, strengthen the balance sheet and build continuous improvement. Source

“Our second-quarter results exceeded expectations on both the top and bottom lines”

Andrew Hider, president and CEO

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Reported sales growth SourceFull year 20263% to 4%Raised from flat to 1%
Organic sales growth SourceFull year 20262% to 3%Raised from approximately flat
Adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations SourceFull year 2026$1.95 to $2.15Raised from $1.85 to $2.05
Sales growth reconciling items SourceFull year 2026Kidney Care MSA ~30 bps; foreign exchange (~100 bps)Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 guidance raised; the first-quarter release had reiterated the prior guidance. Source
  • New: Segment reporting recast from the second quarter; the former Pharmaceuticals segment now sits in the Infusion Therapies & Platforms division of Medical Products & Therapies. Source
  • New: New sustainability targets announced, replacing the 2030 commitments previously set. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Sales rose 5% on both bases: Second-quarter sales were about $2.96 billion, up 5% reported and organic, after first-quarter sales that rose 3% reported and declined 1% organic. Source
  • Adjusted EPS fell 5% year on year: Adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations was $0.56 against $0.59 a year earlier, down 5%. Source
  • GAAP results include excluded special items: GAAP net income was $135 million, or $0.26 per diluted share; adjusted figures exclude special items such as intangible asset amortization. Source
  • Tariff refund added $0.11 per share: A tariff refund under IEEPA added $0.11 per diluted share, partly offsetting the cost effects discussed in the quarter. Source

Segments and regions

  • Medical Products & Therapies grew 7%: MPT sales of about $2.1 billion rose 7% reported and 5% organic. Source
  • Healthcare Systems grew on connectivity: Healthcare Systems & Technologies sales of about $801 million rose 4% on both bases; Patient Support Systems drove the connectivity growth. Source
  • U.S. and international sales both grew: U.S. sales of about $1.6 billion rose 4%; international sales of about $1.4 billion rose 7% reported and 5% organic, with every segment and division growing. Source
  • MPT segment margin fell to 19.3%: MPT segment operating income was $400 million, a 19.3% margin, against $444 million and 22.8% a year earlier. Source

“While we’re encouraged by this steady progress and core operating momentum, we remain focused on the work ahead.”

Andrew Hider, president and CEO

Products and customers

  • Infusion Therapies & Platforms led growth: Infusion Therapies & Platforms sales of $1,745 million rose 6% reported and 4% organic. Source
  • Advanced Surgery grew 12%: Advanced Surgery sales of $331 million rose 12% on both bases; U.S. sales rose 15% and international sales 8%. Source
  • Other sales fell with Vantive: Other sales of $83 million, consisting of sales to Vantive, fell 15% reported and were flat organically. Source

Costs, margins and tariffs

  • Gross margin slipped 0.4 points: Gross margin was 34.9% of net sales against 35.3% a year earlier, on sales that rose 5%. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin at 38.6%: Adjusted gross margin, excluding special items, was 38.6% of net sales. Source
  • SG&A rose 2% as share of sales fell: SG&A expenses were $735 million, up 2%, and 24.8% of net sales against 25.6% a year earlier. Source
  • Operating income rose 14%: Operating income was $217 million, up 14%, a 7.3% margin; interest expense rose 10% to $64 million. Source
  • Tax benefit from audit settlement: GAAP income tax expense was $23 million, a 14.6% effective rate, and included a benefit from settling certain income tax audits. Source

Cash flow and capital

  • Free cash flow reached $181 million: Free cash flow was $181 million in the second quarter and $257 million for the first half. Source
  • Quarterly operating cash flow was $297 million: Operating cash flow from continuing operations was $297 million in the quarter, with investing outflows of $117 million. Source
  • First-half operating cash flow $510 million: Operating cash flow from continuing operations was $510 million for the first half, against $118 million a year earlier. Source

Strategy and sustainability

  • Strategy anchored in GPS system: Management said it is using the Baxter Growth and Performance System to stabilize the business, strengthen the balance sheet and build continuous improvement. Source
  • Sustainability report renamed and published: The renamed 2025 Sustainability Report was published, describing 2025 progress and a refreshed approach to sustainable business. Source
  • Kidney Care reported as discontinued: Kidney Care is excluded from continuing results and reported as discontinued operations, which produced a $9 million loss in the quarter. Source

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: Novum IQ LVP shipment and installation hold reduced Infusion Systems sales in the quarter, as previously disclosed. Source
  • Regulatory: Costs to comply with European medical device regulation for previously registered products were excluded from adjusted results. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the roll-through of higher-cost inventory produced at the end of 2025 came in as expected. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.