SOLV vs BAX vs BDX vs COO vs HOLX

For growth investors, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is the stronger pick with 8.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 9% for Solventum Corporation (SOLV). Solventum Corporation (SOLV) offers the better valuation at 8. 1x trailing P/E (11. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Solventum Corporation (SOLV) a "Buy" — based on 11 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Solventum Corporation (SOLV) is the cheapest at 8.

1x versus The Cooper Companies, Inc. at 32. 7x. On forward P/E, Baxter International Inc. is actually cheaper at 9. 2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) delivered a total return of +16.

9%, compared to -74. 3% for Baxter International Inc. (BAX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HOLX returned +124. 3% versus BAX's -42. 4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Hologic, Inc.

(HOLX) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 41β versus Baxter International Inc. 's 1. 37β — meaning BAX is approximately 234% more volatile than HOLX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The Cooper Companies, Inc. (COO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 34% versus 164% for Baxter International Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is pulling ahead at 8.

2% versus 0. 9% for Solventum Corporation (SOLV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Solventum Corporation grew EPS 221. 7% year-over-year, compared to -37. 8% for Baxter International Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, COO leads at 7. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Solventum Corporation (SOLV) is the more profitable company, earning 18.

7% net margin versus -8. 5% for Baxter International Inc. — meaning it keeps 18. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SOLV leads at 26. 2% versus -2. 7% for BAX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HOLX leads at 61. 0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Baxter International Inc.

(BAX) trades at 9. 2x forward P/E versus 17. 2x for Hologic, Inc. — 8. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COO: 53. 6% to $93. 86.

In this comparison, BAX (3.

9% yield), BDX (2. 7% yield) pay a dividend. SOLV, COO, HOLX do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

66), 2. 7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BDX: +80. 2%, SOLV: -10. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: SOLV is a mid-cap deep-value stock; BAX is a small-cap income-oriented stock; BDX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; COO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; HOLX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. BAX, BDX pay a dividend while SOLV, COO, HOLX do not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.