BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INCBAX
BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC Commitments Disclosure
| COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | ||
Refer to Note 2 for information regarding contingent payments related to Vantive, recorded in accordance with the EPA.
Indemnifications
During the normal course of business, we make indemnities, commitments and guarantees pursuant to which we may be required to make payments related to specific transactions. Indemnifications include: (i) intellectual property indemnities to customers in connection with the use, sales or license of products and services; (ii) indemnities to customers in connection with losses incurred while performing services on their premises; (iii) indemnities to vendors and service providers pertaining to claims based on negligence or willful misconduct; (iv) indemnities involving the representations and warranties in certain contracts; and (v) contractual indemnities for our directors and our executive and corporate officers for services provided to or at the request of us. In addition, under our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, and consistent with Delaware General Corporation Law, we have agreed to indemnify our directors and officers for certain losses and expenses upon the occurrence of certain prescribed events. The majority of these indemnities, commitments and guarantees do not provide for any limitation on the maximum potential for future payments that we could be obligated to make. To help address some of these risks, we maintain various insurance coverages. Based on historical experience and evaluation of the agreements, we do not believe that any payments related to our indemnities will have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.
In accordance with the EPA, we have agreed to indemnify Vantive for certain items. Refer to Note 2 for additional information regarding these indemnifications.
Legal Contingencies
We are involved in product liability, patent, commercial, employment, and other legal matters that arise in the normal course of our business. We record a liability when a loss is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If the reasonable estimate of a probable loss is a range, and no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, the minimum amount in the range is accrued. If a loss is not probable or a probable loss cannot be reasonably estimated, no liability is recorded. We regularly review legal contingencies to
determine whether our accruals and related disclosures are adequate. The amount of ultimate loss may differ from these estimates and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, our total recorded reserves with respect to legal and environmental matters were $47 million and $40 million, respectively.
We have established reserves for certain of the matters discussed below. While we believe that we have valid defenses in the matters set forth below, litigation is inherently uncertain, excessive verdicts do occur, and we may incur material judgments or enter into material settlements of claims.
In addition to the matters described below, we remain subject to the risk of future administrative and legal actions. With respect to governmental and regulatory matters, these actions may lead to additional product recalls, injunctions, and other restrictions on our operations (including our ability to launch new products) and monetary sanctions, including significant civil or criminal penalties. With respect to intellectual property, we may be exposed to significant litigation concerning the scope of our and others’ rights. Such litigation could result in a loss of patent protection or the ability to market products, which could lead to a significant loss of sales, or otherwise materially affect future results of operations.
Novum IQ Large Volume Pump (Novum LVP)
Beginning in April 2025, we initiated a voluntary correction for the Novum LVP due to the potential for under-infusion when the pump is in "standby mode" for an extended period of time. Beginning in July 2025, we initiated voluntary corrections for the Novum LVP due to the potential for under-infusion when the pump is directed to deliver a bolus infusion or significantly increase the rate of infusion after it has been running at a lower infusion rate and the potential for over- and under-infusion related to set misloading, as well as certain software anomalies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified these voluntary corrections as Class I recalls. We have implemented certain corrections related to the recalls, and are developing additional corrections related to these recalls, some of which may require regulatory clearance or approval. In July 2025, we elected to temporarily stop distributing and installing the Novum LVP in the U.S. and Canada, except in the case of medical necessity. We have recorded estimates for sales reductions, for returns or exchanges of Novum LVP, and certain other charges, including estimates of reserves for remediation costs and inventory and contract asset write-downs associated with these Novum LVP corrections of approximately $105 million in the aggregate in 2025. We regularly review these estimates (including those associated with any future additional corrections and customer returns or exchanges) which may be subject to change in the future.
Environmental
We are involved as a potentially responsible party (PRP) for environmental clean-up costs at six Superfund sites. Additionally, we have reached an agreement in principle to resolve liability through a remedial investigation and feasibility study at a seventh Superfund site for an amount not material to Baxter. Under the U.S. Superfund statute and many state laws, generators of hazardous waste sent to a disposal or recycling site are liable for site cleanup if contaminants from that property later leak into the environment. The laws generally provide that a PRP may be held jointly and severally liable for the costs of investigating and remediating the site. Separate from these Superfund cases noted above, we are involved in ongoing environmental remediations associated with historic operations at certain of our facilities. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, our environmental reserves, which are measured on an undiscounted basis, were $29 million. After considering these reserves, the outcome of these matters is not expected to have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.
General Litigation
In March 2020, two lawsuits were filed against us in the Northern District of Illinois by plaintiffs alleging injuries as a result of exposure to ethylene oxide used in our manufacturing facility in Mountain Home, Arkansas to sterilize certain of our products. The plaintiffs sought damages, including compensatory and punitive damages in an unspecified amount, and unspecified injunctive and declaratory relief. The parties reached an agreement to settle these lawsuits in the third quarter of 2021 for amounts that were not material to our financial results, which were paid in the fourth quarter of 2021. We have since resolved, without litigation, additional claims of injuries from exposure to ethylene oxide at Mountain Home for amounts within accruals previously established as of December 31, 2021. On October 20, 2022, a lawsuit was filed against us in the Western District of Arkansas alleging injury as a result of exposure to ethylene oxide at Mountain Home. The parties reached an agreement to settle this lawsuit in the third quarter of 2023 for an amount that was not material to our financial results, which was paid in the fourth quarter of 2023. The case was dismissed on October 17, 2023. Since December 2023, lawsuits have been filed against us in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois by plaintiffs alleging injuries as a result of exposure to
ethylene oxide used by several companies, including historic use by us for sterilization at our facility in Round Lake, Illinois. The plaintiffs seek damages in an unspecified amount. In the second quarter of 2025, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed Baxter from 30 of the filed cases, which dismissal was granted by the court, and have filed additional complaints. Thirty-eight complaints are currently filed and pending. The parties have reached an agreement in principle to resolve the remaining filed cases, for an amount not material to Baxter.
We acquired Hillrom on December 13, 2021. In July 2021, Hill-Rom, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hillrom, received a subpoena from the United States Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (the DHHS) requesting documents and information related to compliance with the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. The subpoena was related to a lawsuit brought under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. The allegations included in the unsealed complaint relate to conduct prior to our acquisition of Hillrom, and the division involved is no longer operational. Hillrom voluntarily began a related internal review, and Hillrom and Baxter cooperated fully with the DHHS and the Department of Justice (DOJ) with respect to this matter. In January 2024, the parties reached an agreement to settle the allegations. We paid the settlement amounts, which were not material to our financial results, in January 2024 and the matter was dismissed in February 2024. In October 2022, the DOJ issued a separate Civil Investigative Demand (CID) addressed to Hillrom, requesting documents and information related to compliance with the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. In October 2024, the DOJ issued a subpoena (the 2024 Subpoena), pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 3846, to Hillrom. The 2024 Subpoena substantially overlaps with the CID and requests additional documents relating to Hillrom's respiratory health business. Baxter is cooperating fully with the DOJ in responding to the CID and the 2024 Subpoena. The DHHS and DOJ often issue these types of requests when investigating alleged violations of the federal health care laws.
On December 28, 2021, Linet Americas, Inc. (Linet) filed a complaint against Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Hill-Rom Company, Inc., and Hill-Rom Services, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, captioned Linet Americas, Inc. v. Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc.; Hill-Rom Company, Inc.; Hill-Rom Services, Inc. Linet alleges that Hillrom violated Sections 1 and 2 of The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, Section 3 of the Clayton Act, and the Illinois Antitrust Act by allegedly engaging in anti-competitive conduct in alleged markets for standard, ICU and birthing beds. Hillrom filed an answer to the complaint on January 28, 2022 and filed a motion challenging certain aspects of plaintiff's case on May 27, 2022, which was denied on January 17, 2024, subject to further discovery. Fact discovery is ongoing.
On June 20, 2024, Reading Hospital filed a putative class action complaint against Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., Hill-Rom Company, Inc., and Hill-Rom Services, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The complaint alleges that Hillrom violated Sections 1 and 2 of The Sherman Antitrust Act and Section 3 of the Clayton Act by allegedly engaging in anti-competitive conduct in alleged markets for standard, ICU and birthing beds. The plaintiff filed the action on behalf of itself and all "direct purchasers of Standard Hospital Beds, ICU Beds, and/or Birthing Beds from Hill-Rom during a period beginning at least as early as June 20, 2020” and continuing past the date of filing. On September 30, 2024, the plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint. On November 8, 2024, Hillrom filed a Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Amended Complaint. Briefing was completed in January 2025, and the court held a hearing on the motion on March 25, 2025. The court granted the motion and dismissed the case with prejudice on September 12, 2025. Reading Hospital filed a Notice of Appeal of the dismissal on October 9, 2025, and briefing is underway.
On October 16, 2025, we and certain of our current and former officers and employees were named in a class action complaint captioned Electrical Workers Pension Fund, Local 103, I.B.E.W. v. Baxter International Inc. et al. that was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiff, which allegedly purchased or otherwise acquired shares of our common stock during the specified class period, filed this putative class action on behalf of itself and those who purchased or otherwise acquired Baxter common stock between February 23, 2022 and July 30, 2025. The plaintiff alleges that we and certain former and current officers and employees violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by making allegedly false and misleading statements and failing to disclose material facts relating to Novum LVP. On December 3, 2025, an additional class action complaint was filed against us and certain of our current and former officers and employees in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, captioned City of Hallansdale Beach Police Officers' and Firefighters' Personnel Retirement Trust v. Baxter International Inc., et al. The additional complaint included substantially the same allegations for the expanded period from February 23, 2022, through October 29, 2025. Plaintiffs filed their respective motions to be appointed lead plaintiff on December 15, 2025. Those motions are pending before the court.
In November 2025, certain of our current and former directors, officers and employees were named in two derivative complaints in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, captioned Ryan Wood v. Jose E.
Almeida, et al. and Kevin Gray v. Jose E. Almeida, et al., respectively. Both complaints allege, nominally on behalf of Baxter International, Inc., breaches of fiduciary duties and violations of federal law in connection with public statements about Novum LVP. The two derivative complaints were consolidated before the court on January 6, 2026.
In addition, we have received stockholder requests for inspections of our books and records in connection with statements made about Novum LVP.
In December 2025, we received a CID from the DOJ requesting documents and information related to production of Baxter’s IV flexible containers and compliance with the False Claims Act. We are cooperating fully with the DOJ in responding to the CID.Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 12, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 21, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 8, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 9, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 23, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 11, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Mar 17, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 21, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 23, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 23, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 26, 2016 | |
About Commitments Disclosures
Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.
Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.