BAX vs BSX Stock Comparison

Compare BAX and BSX across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.

Market data as of Sep 11, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 6 points
BAX
Healthcare
vs
BSX
Healthcare
BAX
Baxter International Inc.
Price
$23.80
Day move
-1.57%
AIQ Score
43/100
Best edge
Risk Resilience
Sector
Healthcare
BSX
Boston Scientific Corporation
Leads
Price
$42.98
Day move
-0.28%
AIQ Score
49/100
Best edge
Quality
Sector
Healthcare

What is the main difference between BAX and BSX?

BSX leads the current stock comparison as Boston Scientific Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Baxter International Inc. vs Boston Scientific Corporation

Data as of Sep 11, 2026· market close· Healthcare· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 4/10

BSX leads

BSX leads by 6 AIQ points, primarily on Quality, but the lead has narrowed from 15 points over 30 sessions.

Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support BSX, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 6Comparison trend: Weakening
BAX

Baxter International Inc.

AIQ Score
43/100
AIQ Edge Score
3/10
BSX

Boston Scientific Corporation

Leads
AIQ Score
49/100
AIQ Edge Score
6/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors BSX over BAX, 49 versus 43 as of Sep 11, 2026. BSX's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality, while BAX holds the stronger risk resilience profile. BSX also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor BSX today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. BSX lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 15 to 6 points over 30 sessions.

Compare Baxter International Inc. and Boston Scientific Corporation across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Price-return comparison using available daily close history.

BAX
-70.0%
BSX
-2.5%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000

BAX $2,999 · BSX $9,749

Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.

Compare BAX and BSX against another ticker

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

BAX advantage
0
BSX advantage
  • Quality20 vs 67
    BSX +47
  • Risk Resilience54 vs 41
    BAX +13
  • Value69 vs 58
    BAX +11
  • Momentum31 vs 23
    BAX +8

3 of 6 evidence groups favor BSX. BSX’s edge is concentrated in quality; BAX keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.

BAX+1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Risk Resilience +1

New signals

  • Keltner Channel Breakdown bearish, volatility, short horizon
BSX-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Risk Resilience -2

New signals

  • BB Lower Band Breach bullish, volatility, short horizon
  • 52-Week Low Proximity bearish, risk, long horizon (1.4%)

BSX's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — BAX and BSX both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

BSX (Boston Scientific Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality.

BAX (Baxter International Inc.): the counter-case, on risk resilience, value, momentum.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

BSX

BSX on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

BAX

BAX on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

BAX

BAX on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points.

Momentum

BAX

BAX on the Momentum factor, by 8 points.

Lower downside

BAX

BAX on Risk Resilience, by 13 points.

Analyst upside

BSX

BSX on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureBAXBSXNote
Implied upside to target+4.3%+70.1%BSX has more room
Target dispersion+28.2%+68.4%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusHoldBuyContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering520Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor BSX. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreBSX43 vs 49
FundamentalsBSXon balancerevenue growth 9.6% vs 4.6%; EPS growth 9% vs -31.1%; TTM ROE -16.6% vs 14.9%; gross margin 30.1% vs 71.2%; operating margin -2.4% vs 21.5% — BSX takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them
ValuationBAXValue 69 vs 58
TechnicalsBAXPrice vs 50-day -4.3% vs -8.4%; vs 200-day 18.3% vs -34.7%
Risk ResilienceBAXRisk Resilience 54 vs 41
Analyst expectationsBSXTarget upside 4.3% vs 70.1%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of BAX and BSX and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is moderate at 6 points.
  • Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Signal direction runs against the verdict: the leader is net-bearish while the laggard is net-bullish. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on BSX.

How the comparison changed

119 daily snapshots · May 4 Sep 10

BSX lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 15 to 6 points over 30 sessions.

May 4BAX leads above the line · BSX leads belowSep 10
Today
BSX +6
43 vs 49
7 sessions ago
BSX +5
50 vs 55
30 sessions ago
BSX +15
48 vs 63
90 sessions ago
BSX +2
52 vs 54

The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Jun 18 when BAX moved ahead of BSX.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

BAXConflicted

3 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (21.67%)
  • Bollinger Band Squeeze neutral, volatility, short horizon
  • BB Lower Band Breach bullish, volatility, short horizon
BSXConflicted

2 bullish / 5 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

  • Death Cross Active bearish, trend, long horizon (40.53%)
  • BB Lower Band Breach bullish, volatility, short horizon
  • Keltner Channel Breakdown bearish, volatility, short horizon

BSX leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

BAXDivergence

Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -1.57%, AIQ +1 points).

BSXConfirmed weakness

Price and the AIQ Score both moved down over the latest session (price -0.28%, AIQ -1 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1BAX closes the Quality gap — currently 47 points behind, the largest single contributor to BSX's edge.
  2. 2BAX's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
  3. 3BSX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 5 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 9 points over 30 sessions, and a further 6-point move would eliminate BSX's advantage entirely.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

BSX leads on balance
MetricBAXBSX
Revenue growth (YoY)9.6%4.6%
EPS growth (YoY)9%-31.1%
Gross margin30.1%71.2%
Operating margin-2.4%21.5%
Return on equity (TTM)-16.6%14.9%
Debt to equity1.560.51

Performance

BAX leads 6 of 6 windows
MetricBAXBSX
1 week (5 sessions)-5.9%-10.9%
1 month (20 sessions)-10.3%-16.2%
3 months (63 sessions)19.1%-10.8%
6 months (126 sessions)34%-38.1%
Year to date26.5%-54.8%
1 year (252 sessions)0.4%-59.8%

Technicals

BAX has the stronger structure
MetricBAXBSX
RSI (14)24.129.8
ADX (14)24.217
Price vs 50-day-4.3%-8.4%
Price vs 200-day18.3%-34.7%
Volatility (1M, annualized)24.4%42.3%

Risk

BAX is the more resilient
MetricBAXBSX
Beta1.180.18
Sharpe ratio0.11-2.33
Sortino ratio0.14-2.56
Max drawdown-35.5%-60.6%
Current drawdown-14.7%-60.1%
Annualized volatility43.5%38%
Value at risk (95%)-3.6%-3.6%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, BAX or BSX?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, BSX is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 49 against BAX's 43. The edge comes from quality. BAX is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is BAX or BSX the better buy right now?

BSX carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor BSX over BAX?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. BSX leads Quality by 47 points; BAX leads Risk Resilience by 13 points; BAX leads Value by 11 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, BAX or BSX?

Analyst price targets imply +4.3% upside for BAX and +70.1% for BSX, so the Street currently favors BSX. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, BAX or BSX?

BAX is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. BAX on the peer-relative Value factor, by 11 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, BAX or BSX?

BAX on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, BAX or BSX?

BAX on the Momentum factor, by 8 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, BAX or BSX?

BAX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. BAX on Risk Resilience, by 13 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is BAX more profitable than BSX?

BSX leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 30.1% vs 71.2%; operating margin -2.4% vs 21.5%; ttm roe -16.6% vs 14.9%.

Is BSX's lead over BAX getting stronger or weaker?

BSX lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 15 to 6 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-06-18, when BAX moved ahead of BSX.

What would change the BAX vs BSX verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: BAX closes the Quality gap — currently 47 points behind, the largest single contributor to BSX's edge; BAX's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; BSX's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 5 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 9 points over 30 sessions, and a further 6-point move would eliminate BSX's advantage entirely.

What do the current signals say about BAX and BSX?

BAX: 3 bullish / 2 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. BSX: 2 bullish / 5 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on BAX is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On BSX it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).

Compare BAX and BSX with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.