Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Hits Expectations

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) posted its earnings results on Wednesday. The healthcare product maker reported $1.42 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.42, FiscalAI reports. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 9.75% and a return on equity of 17.97%. The business had revenue of $13.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $12.99 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.30 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 14.5% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are the key takeaways from Abbott Laboratories’ conference call:

• Abbott plans to spin off its nutrition business into a separately traded company by the end of 2027, with shareholders receiving shares in both entities. Management expects the separation to sharpen strategic focus and improve Abbott’s growth and margin profile.
• Abbott reported third-quarter comparable sales growth of 7% and adjusted EPS of $1.42, with operating margin expanding 40 basis points to 23.4%. Growth was broad-based, led by diagnostics, Established Pharmaceutical Products, and medical devices.
• Medical devices showed strong momentum, particularly electrophysiology and rhythm management, supported by adoption of Volt PFA, the upcoming TactiFlex Duo launch, and AVEIR pacemakers. Abbott also received approvals for Libre Duo and Amulet 360, adding to its product pipeline.
• Management lowered its near-term outlook amid headwinds in diabetes care and electrophysiology, including international CGM pricing pressure, slower penetration of non-insulin-using patients, and temporary weakness in the left atrial appendage market. Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS is expected at $1.62–$1.67, while 2027 guidance will initially be set conservatively.
• The planned separation will involve transaction costs and new debt raised by the nutrition company, while Abbott continues to address litigation related to infant nutrition products. Management said both companies should be well capitalized, but additional details on liability allocation and capital structures are still forthcoming.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

ABT opened at $102.64 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $105.30 and its 200-day moving average price is $98.28. Abbott Laboratories has a 52-week low of $81.97 and a 52-week high of $132.02. The company has a market cap of $177.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 0.59. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, November 16th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.63 per share. This represents a $2.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.5%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, October 15th. Abbott Laboratories’s payout ratio is 81.55%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ABT has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup cut their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $125.00 to $122.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $120.00 target price for the company. BTIG Research lowered their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $134.00 to $125.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday. Royal Bank Of Canada dropped their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $125.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $121.00 to $123.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-two have assigned a Buy rating and four have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $118.32.

Key Headlines Impacting Abbott Laboratories

Here are the key news stories impacting Abbott Laboratories this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly bullish despite target revisions. Wells Fargo raised its target to $119, while Baird lifted its target to $123; Citigroup, RBC, JPMorgan, TD Cowen and BTIG lowered targets but maintained buy, outperform or overweight ratings. Analyst target updates
• Positive Sentiment: Third-quarter revenue reached $13.01 billion, slightly exceeding expectations, while comparable sales increased 7% and adjusted EPS rose to $1.42 from $1.30 a year earlier. Abbott also reaffirmed its full-year EPS outlook. Abbott third-quarter results
• Neutral Sentiment: Abbott intends to separate its approximately $8.5 billion Nutrition business, including Ensure, Similac, PediaSure, Pedialyte and Glucerna, into a tax-free publicly traded company by the end of 2027. Management expects the move to create more focused businesses, but investors are assessing the execution risks and the impact of removing a sizable revenue segment. Nutrition business separation
• Negative Sentiment: Abbott reduced its 2026 sales-growth outlook, citing pricing pressure in diabetes care and weakness in its electrophysiology and other medical-device businesses. One analyst characterized the quarter as a mixed result, and one consensus measure viewed adjusted EPS as a slight miss. Abbott lowers sales forecast
• Negative Sentiment: A 172-patient study reported that Catheter Precision’s LockeT device outperformed Abbott’s Perclose closure system after large-bore venous access, creating a potential competitive concern for Abbott’s vascular-device portfolio. India’s food regulator also questioned claims related to an Abbott infant-nutrition product, although the financial impact appears limited so far. Catheter Precision comparative study

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of medical products and services. Founded in 1888 by Wallace C. Abbott, the company is headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, and serves patients, healthcare providers and consumers in markets around the world.

Abbott operates across four principal businesses: medical devices, diagnostics, nutrition and established pharmaceutical products. Its offerings include glucose-monitoring systems such as FreeStyle Libre; cardiovascular devices, including stents and structural heart products; laboratory and point-of-care diagnostic systems; and branded generic medicines in areas such as gastroenterology, women’s health and cardiometabolic care.

The company’s nutrition portfolio includes infant and pediatric products such as Similac and PediaSure, adult nutritional products such as Ensure, and rehydration products such as Pedialyte.