Baxter International Inc (NYSE:BAX) recently announced that it will be commercially launching its patented olive oil-based lipid injectable emulsion, Clinolipid, in the United States, later in 2019.The company made the announcement at the 2019 ASPEN (American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition) Nutrition Science and Practice Conference, where it primarily demonstrated a broad and comprehensive portfolio of parenteral nutrition (PN) products.
Apart from that, information pertaining to the company’s educational initiative for physicians, including that of the “Smart PN” tools, was also provided to attendees of the conference.
Baxter is a global pioneer in the field of clinical nutrition. The launch of this product will be a crucial step toward the company’s goal of strengthening its lipid portfolio and offering enhanced health care to malnourished patients.
About the PN Product Portfolio
The clinical nutrition portfolio of Baxter, showcased at this conference, comprises PN premix IV solutions, vitamins and lipids. PN is prescribed by nutritionists as an intravenous administration of nourishment forcritically ill and post-surgical patients who cannot maintain a sufficient source of calories orally or enterally. The portfolio of PN products consists of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, electrolytes, vitamins and trace elements, each of which significantly contributes toward curbing clinical malnutrition and attaining better health outcomes.
Market Prospects
Per Grand View Research, the global parenteral nutrition market reached a worth of $5.3 billion in 2018 and is expected to see a CAGR of 5.8% over the forecast period of 2019-2026.
Considering the abundant market prospects, the launch of the Clinolipid by Baxter is strategically-timed.
Recent Clinical Nutrition Business Developments
Of late, Baxter has been consistently expanding its clinical nutrition business. The company has been focusing on growth recovery in this segment, through market education and bolstering supply availability.
In December 2018,Baxter collaborated with the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (EFCNI) with a view to improve nutritional care for the preterm born in Europe.
In October 2018, Baxter launched an educational video series on the appropriate use of parenteral nutrition.This was part of SmartPN, a tie-up between Baxter and ASPEN, to alleviate cases of clinical malnutrition.
Around the same time,Baxter launched the Olimel 7.6% high protein nutrition formulation at the 2018 ESPEN Congress. This was also a recent addition to the company’s olive oil-based PN portfolio.
Price Performance
Over the past year, Baxter stock has outperformed the industry it belongs to. The stock has rallied 21.6%, higher than the industry’s rise of 8.7%.
Zacks Rank and Other Key Picks
Baxter currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK) , Penumbra, Inc. (NYSE:PEN) and Varian Medical Systems, Inc (NYSE:VAR) . Notably, each of these stocks currently carries a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Stryker’s long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 10%
Penumbra’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 20.9%.
Varian’s long-term earnings growth rate is expected at 8%.
Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019
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Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (VAR): Free Stock Analysis Report
Penumbra, Inc. (PEN): Free Stock Analysis Report
Baxter International Inc. (BAX): Free Stock Analysis Report
Stryker Corporation (SYK): Free Stock Analysis Report
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