Medical spinoffs with strong potential

Article Excerpt

These three medical-related stocks are down or flat since they either announced a spinoff (Baxter) or became separate firms (Bausch + Lomb, and embecta—see box). We like all of them, but see only two as buys right now. BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC. $42 is a buy. The company (New York symbol BAX; Manufacturing sector; Shares outstanding: 506.4 million; Market cap: $21.3 billion; Dividend yield: 2.8%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.baxter.com) still plans to spin off its Renal Care and Acute Therapies unit as a separate firm called Vantive by July 2024. It makes kidney dialysis machines and related equipment. In all, these businesses supply about 30% of Baxter’s revenue. The company is also selling its BioPharma division to private-equity firms Advent International and Warburg Pincus for $4.25 billion (or $3.4 billion after taxes). The company expects to complete the sale in September 2023. The remaining operations will focus on making specialized equipment for hospitals, including intensive-care-unit beds, operating tables, patient monitoring equipment and electronic diagnostic systems. Meantime, Baxter’s revenue…