Global push cuts Baxter’s Obamacare risk

Article Excerpt

BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC. $67 (New York symbol BAX; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 542.0 million; Market cap: $36.3 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.5; Dividend yield: 2.9%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.baxter.com) continues to expand overseas, which helps cut its exposure to the 2.3% excise tax it must pay on sales of medical devices as part of the Affordable Care Act (or Obamacare). In 2012, overseas markets supplied 58% of Baxter’s revenue. The company recently completed its $3.7-billion purchase of Gambro AB, a Swedish dialysis-product maker. Gambro looks like a nice fit with Baxter’s intravenous pumps and other medical equipment. This division supplies 55% of its total revenue. The remaining 45% comes from its BioScience division, which produces vaccines and drugs. In the three months ended September 30, 2013, Baxter’s revenue rose 8.5%, to $3.8 billion from $3.5 billion a year earlier. Gambro supplied $100 million of that total, which helped push up the medical products division’s sales by…