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ABT or BAX or STE
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs. Baxter International (BAX) vs. Steris (STE) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- ABT delivered a strong Q2 2026 earnings beat and raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance, though shares have since retreated approximately 10% over the past month amid broader market dynamics.
- BAX reported a Q2 2026 beat driven by drug compounding and IV solutions strength, prompting an upward revision to 2026 sales and EPS outlooks and an immediate double-digit stock advance.
- STE posted solid fiscal Q1 2027 results with revenue growth and EPS above consensus, while announcing a major $600 million investment in a new North Carolina manufacturing facility.
- All three companies operate in the healthcare equipment and services space, with ABT offering the broadest diversification across diagnostics, nutrition, and devices, while BAX focuses on hospital products and STE emphasizes infection prevention and sterilization.
- Recent price action shows ABT and BAX experiencing sharper post-earnings volatility compared with the steadier but still negative near-term momentum in STE.
- Valuation sensitivity and sector exposure remain key differentiators, with ABT carrying the largest market capitalization and BAX showing the most pronounced turnaround narrative in recent quarters.
Introduction
Investors and traders seeking exposure to the healthcare equipment and services sector often evaluate ABT, BAX, and STE together because the three companies address overlapping yet distinct areas of medical technology and hospital supply chains. This comparison highlights relative performance, business model differences, and recent market positioning that may appeal to those constructing diversified healthcare portfolios or monitoring sector rotation opportunities. The analysis draws on publicly reported financial results and observable price behavior over recent weeks to provide a factual framework for understanding how each name has responded to earnings, guidance updates, and broader market conditions.
ABT Overview and Recent Performance
ABT (Abbott Laboratories) operates across diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition, and established pharmaceuticals, giving it diversified revenue streams within healthcare. In recent market activity, shares have traded near $102 following a July earnings release that featured a double-digit sales increase and an upward revision to full-year adjusted EPS guidance. The stock experienced an initial surge on those results before retreating roughly 10% over the subsequent month. Recent developments include FDA authorization for an advanced glucose-ketone monitoring system and a settlement resolving legacy infant formula matters, both of which contributed to shifts in sentiment. Broader comparable sales guidance for 2026 remains in the 6.5% to 7.5% range, reflecting steady underlying demand across core segments.
BAX Overview and Recent Performance
BAX (Baxter International) focuses primarily on hospital products, including IV solutions, drug compounding, infusion systems, and surgical care. Recent performance was shaped by a July earnings report that exceeded consensus estimates on both revenue and adjusted earnings, driven by strength in the medical products and therapies segment. The company raised its full-year 2026 sales and EPS outlook, which supported a sharp intraday advance of more than 10%. Over the past month, shares have given back some of those gains amid ongoing turnaround execution and executive transitions. Management continues to emphasize cost-structure improvements and volume recovery in key product lines as central to the medium-term trajectory.
STE Overview and Recent Performance
STE (Steris) provides infection prevention, sterilization, and procedural products and services to healthcare and life-science customers. Fiscal first-quarter 2027 results, reported in early August, showed revenue growth and adjusted EPS above analyst expectations, with contributions from healthcare, applied sterilization technologies, and life sciences segments. The company also announced a $600 million investment in a new formulated chemistries facility in North Carolina. Shares have declined approximately 7% to 13% over the past month, consistent with broader healthcare equipment weakness, while maintaining a reaffirmed full-year adjusted EPS outlook. Dividend declarations and conference participation have provided additional context for investor engagement in recent weeks.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Business models differ markedly: ABT offers the widest product breadth, spanning multiple therapeutic areas and end markets, while BAX concentrates on acute-care hospital supplies and STE specializes in sterilization and infection-control solutions. Growth drivers reflect these distinctions, with ABT benefiting from diabetes-care and diagnostics momentum, BAX from compounding and IV volume recovery, and STE from procedural volume and facility investments. Recent momentum favored ABT and BAX following earnings beats, whereas STE showed more measured price reaction despite solid results. Risk factors include regulatory and litigation exposure for ABT, execution of turnaround initiatives for BAX, and capital-expenditure intensity for STE. Sector exposure remains healthcare-centric for all three, yet valuation sensitivity varies with ABT’s larger capitalization and BAX’s lower absolute price level. Market sentiment has been influenced by earnings surprises and guidance revisions more than by macroeconomic shifts in the recent period.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable trend consistency following earnings releases, stability of raised guidance, and relative positioning within the healthcare equipment group, Tickeron’s AI models currently assign a modestly higher probabilistic preference to ABT over the near term. The combination of broad revenue diversification and demonstrated ability to exceed expectations provides a measurable edge in recent performance metrics compared with the more concentrated exposures of BAX and STE. This assessment remains conditional on continued execution and prevailing market conditions.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
ABT | BAX | STE | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 79 | 12 | 20 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 4 Undervalued | 98 Overvalued | 8 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 100 | 100 | 88 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 68 | 94 | 66 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 57 | 42 | 56 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 26 | 78 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 65 | 75 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
ABT's Valuation (4) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as STE (8) and is significantly better than the same rating for BAX (98). This means that ABT's stock grew similarly to STE’s and significantly faster than BAX’s over the last 12 months.
STE's Profit vs Risk Rating (88) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as ABT (100) and is in the same range as BAX (100). This means that STE's stock grew similarly to ABT’s and similarly to BAX’s over the last 12 months.
STE's SMR Rating (66) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as ABT (68) and is in the same range as BAX (94). This means that STE's stock grew similarly to ABT’s and similarly to BAX’s over the last 12 months.
BAX's Price Growth Rating (42) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as STE (56) and is in the same range as ABT (57). This means that BAX's stock grew similarly to STE’s and similarly to ABT’s over the last 12 months.
ABT's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Medical Specialties industry is in the same range as BAX (26) and is significantly better than the same rating for STE (78). This means that ABT's stock grew similarly to BAX’s and significantly faster than STE’s over the last 12 months.
| ABT | BAX | STE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 61% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 69% | 2 days ago 56% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 66% | 2 days ago 50% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 50% | 2 days ago 57% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 59% | 2 days ago 51% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 47% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 56% | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 48% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 13 days ago 55% | 6 days ago 67% | 12 days ago 57% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 63% | 2 days ago 70% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 57% | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 36% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
ABT’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green while BAX’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and STE’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
- ABT’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- BAX’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
- STE’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
ABT’s TA Score shows that 6 TA indicator(s) are bullish while BAX’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s), and STE’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- ABT’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 5 bearish.
- BAX’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
- STE’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
ABT (@Medical/Nursing Services) experienced а +1.72% price change this week, while BAX (@Pharmaceuticals: Other) price change was +2.31% , and STE (@Medical/Nursing Services) price fluctuated +3.75% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Medical/Nursing Services industry was +6.57%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +4.64%, and the average quarterly price growth was -10.46%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Pharmaceuticals: Other industry was +41.65%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +22.29%, and the average quarterly price growth was +18.80%.
Reported Earning Dates
ABT is expected to report earnings on Oct 21, 2026.
BAX is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
STE is expected to report earnings on Nov 11, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Medical/Nursing Services (+6.57% weekly)The medical/nursing services includes companies that provide medical-related services such as ambulance services, dialysis centers, respiratory therapy, blood testing and rehabilitation services. DaVita Inc., Chemed Corporation and Guardant Health, Inc. are examples of companies in this industry.
@Pharmaceuticals: Other (+41.65% weekly)Pharmaceuticals (Other) comprise companies that are involved in the discovery, development or manufacturing of therapeutic and preventative medicines. They often collaborate with or acquire other pharmaceutical/healthcare firms. Examples of companies in this segment include Bausch Health Companies Inc., Icon Plc and Perrigo Company Plc.
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ABT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, ABT has been loosely correlated with MDT. These tickers have moved in lockstep 53% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if ABT jumps, then MDT could also see price increases.
BAX and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, BAX has been loosely correlated with LUNG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 53% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if BAX jumps, then LUNG could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To BAX | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAX | 100% | +1.77% | ||
| LUNG - BAX | 53% Loosely correlated | -2.17% | ||
| ICUI - BAX | 52% Loosely correlated | +2.24% | ||
| STE - BAX | 51% Loosely correlated | +2.14% | ||
| SYK - BAX | 51% Loosely correlated | +1.90% | ||
| BDX - BAX | 49% Loosely correlated | +2.80% | ||
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