Company Performance - Abbott's stock closed at $134.59, reflecting a +1.2% increase from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.01% [1] - Over the past month, Abbott's shares have appreciated by 0.14%, underperforming the Medical sector's gain of 4.67% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.83% [1] Upcoming Earnings - Abbott is set to release its earnings report on October 15, 2025, with an expected EPS of $1.3, indicating a 7.44% growth year-over-year [2] - The consensus estimate for revenue is $11.42 billion, reflecting a 7.4% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Annual Estimates - For the annual period, Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $5.15 per share and revenue of $44.68 billion, representing increases of +10.28% and +6.5% respectively from the previous year [3] - Recent changes to analyst estimates for Abbott indicate evolving short-term business trends, with positive revisions suggesting analysts' confidence in the company's performance [3] Valuation Metrics - Abbott's current Forward P/E ratio is 25.83, which is a premium compared to the industry average of 18.31 [6] - The PEG ratio for Abbott stands at 2.52, compared to the industry average PEG ratio of 2.27 [6] Industry Context - The Medical - Products industry, which includes Abbott, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 77, placing it in the top 32% of over 250 industries [7] - Strong individual industry groups, as measured by the Zacks Industry Rank, tend to outperform weaker groups by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Core Viewpoint - Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is highlighted as a top choice for retirement portfolios, with UBS maintaining a Buy rating and a price target of $154, emphasizing confidence in the company's growth trajectory, particularly in its MedTech division which is expected to sustain growth rates of 10% or more [1][2]. Group 1: Company Performance - Abbott Laboratories is recognized as a leading global healthcare company that produces a diverse range of products including branded generic medications, medical devices, diagnostics, and nutritional items [3]. - UBS anticipates that Abbott will outperform competitors in margin expansion and earnings per share growth, with the stock currently trading at approximately 23 times the consensus earnings per share for 2026, which is a discount compared to the large-cap MedTech category averaging around 28 times projected earnings [2]. Group 2: Market Position - The MedTech division of Abbott is a focal point for future growth, with expectations of maintaining robust growth rates, contributing to the overall positive outlook for the company [1].

Core Insights - Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is recognized as one of the 12 Set-It-and-Forget-It Stocks to buy now, driven by a positive second quarter performance and an executive sale, alongside an expansion opportunity from Medtronic [1] Financial Performance - Abbott reported a 6.9% increase in sales for Q2 2025, with an Adjusted EPS of $1.26, surpassing consensus estimates [2] - The company is progressing in its biosimilars portfolio and expects multiple launches in 2026 [2] Executive Activity - Following the Q2 results, Philip P Boudreau, Executive Vice President and CFO, sold 5,550 shares valued at $746,752 on August 11, 2025, indicating potential negative sentiment [3] Market Opportunities - The FDA cleared Medtronic's MiniMed 780G system on September 2, 2025, which integrates with Abbott's Instinct sensor, providing an opportunity for expansion in diabetes technology [3] Company Overview - Abbott Laboratories has a significant market capitalization of $232.44 billion, establishing a strong presence in the healthcare industry [4] - The company, headquartered in Illinois and operational since 1888, develops and sells a diverse range of medical devices, diagnostics, nutritional products, and branded generic pharmaceuticals globally [4]

About this content About Sean Mason Sean Mason is a Senior Journalist at Proactive, having researched and written about Canadian and US equities for 20 years. Sean graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in history and economics and has also passed the Canadian Securities Course. He previously worked at Investors Digest of Canada, Stockhouse, and SmallCapPower.com. Read more About the publisher Proactive financial news and online broadcast teams provide fast, accessible, informative and action ...

Core Insights - Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is recognized as one of the 11 Best Value Dividend Stocks to buy currently [1] - The company operates in four main segments: established pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, nutrition, and medical devices [2] Dividend Information - On September 19, Abbott declared a quarterly dividend of $0.59 per share, maintaining its previous dividend level [3] - Abbott has increased its dividend payouts for 53 consecutive years, showcasing its status as a strong dividend stock [3] - The current dividend yield stands at 1.77% as of September 26 [3] Business Performance - The pandemic significantly boosted Abbott's performance due to high demand for rapid COVID-19 tests, although sales in this category have since declined [4] - Core operations remain robust, with the FreeStyle Libre, a leading continuous glucose monitoring system, being a key growth driver due to its increasing sales [4]

Core Viewpoint - The sale of New Zealand assets by Bright Dairy's subsidiary, New Lite, for $170 million to Abbott's New Zealand branch is seen as a strategic move to alleviate financial burdens and improve operational efficiency for both companies [1][5][10]. Group 1: Asset Sale Details - New Lite plans to sell its North Island assets, including the Pokeno factory, which has an annual capacity of 40,000 tons and produces various nutritional products [5]. - The sale price of $170 million is based on an asset book value of approximately NZD 2.82 billion and an assessed value of NZD 2.85 billion, indicating a fair negotiation process [5]. - The transaction is expected to enhance New Lite's net profit by NZD 10 million to NZD 15 million in the fiscal year 2026 [1][6]. Group 2: Financial Context - New Lite has been facing significant financial losses, with an estimated EBIT loss of NZD 20 million for the fiscal year 2025, prompting the need for asset divestiture [6][9]. - The North Island assets were underutilized, and the sale is intended to provide cash flow for debt repayment and reduce interest costs, thereby improving the financial environment for New Lite [9][10]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - The transaction is viewed as a win-win situation, allowing Abbott to secure production capacity while enabling Bright Dairy to focus on its core business and enhance competitiveness [1][10]. - Analysts suggest that this move reflects a shift in strategy for Chinese dairy companies from heavy asset investments to more flexible asset-light models, which can mitigate risks and improve operational efficiency [11].

Core Viewpoint - Synlait Milk has agreed to sell its North Island assets to Abbott Laboratories for approximately US$178 million, while the company has returned to EBITDA profitability and reduced net losses to NZ$40 million in fiscal 2025 [1][4]. Group 1: Asset Sale Details - The North Island assets include Synlait's Pokeno factory, a blending and canning facility, and a warehouse, which were identified as underutilized and incurring financial losses [2][4]. - The gross value of the North Island assets is around NZ$273 million, representing more than half of Synlait's average market capitalization of NZ$429.7 million [3]. - The transaction is expected to close on April 1, pending consent under the Overseas Investment Act [3]. Group 2: Financial Impact - Proceeds from the asset sale will significantly reduce Synlait's debt, which decreased from NZ$551.6 million to NZ$250.7 million in fiscal 2025 [7]. Group 3: Partnership with Abbott - Abbott has been a customer of Synlait since 2020 and the partnership will continue post-transaction for transitional services for up to three years, with potential extensions [6]. - The Pokeno facility was customized to process both dairy and non-dairy nutritional products following the agreement with Abbott [6].

Core Insights - Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is a leading player in the in-vitro diagnostic market, with a market capitalization of $232.4 billion [1] - The company is expected to announce its fiscal Q3 earnings for 2025 on October 15, 2025 [1] Financial Performance Expectations - Analysts predict ABT will report a profit of $1.30 per share, reflecting a 7.4% increase from $1.21 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the full fiscal year, EPS is expected to be $5.15, a 10.3% increase from $4.67 in fiscal 2024, and projected to rise to $5.68 in fiscal 2026 [3] Stock Performance - ABT stock has increased by 18.5% over the past 52 weeks, outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 15.6% gain and the Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund's 11.5% decline [4] - Following the Q2 results release, ABT's shares dropped 8.5% despite reporting a 7.4% year-over-year revenue growth to $11.1 billion and an adjusted EPS of $1.26, which was a 10.5% increase from the previous year [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus opinion on ABT stock is bullish, with a "Strong Buy" rating from 19 out of 27 analysts, while the average price target is $144.48, indicating an 8.2% potential upside [6]

Synlait Milk will sell several of its New Zealand assets to Abbott Laboratories for NZ$307 million ($177 million), enabling it to reset its balance sheet after a period of losses and underperformance https://t.co/NjN49cXPgQ ...

Core Viewpoint - Synlait Milk Limited, a subsidiary of the company, is engaging in forward foreign exchange contracts to hedge against currency fluctuations related to the sale of its North Island assets for a price of USD 170 million [2][3][26]. Group 1: Business Overview - The purpose of the business is to mitigate the financial impact of currency fluctuations on the sale of North Island assets, which will be priced in USD [2]. - The forward foreign exchange contracts will be executed with qualified banks and financial institutions, with a maximum transaction amount of USD 170 million [2][3]. - The forward foreign exchange contracts are expected to cover 90%-100% of the sale price of the North Island assets [4]. Group 2: Financial Details - The sale price of the North Island assets is set at USD 170 million, with the specific investment amount for the forward foreign exchange contracts to be determined based on Synlait's needs [3]. - The expected delivery date for the transaction is April 1, 2026 [5]. Group 3: Approval Process - The business has been approved by the company's board of directors and the audit committee, with unanimous votes in favor [8][25]. - The project requires approval from Synlait's shareholders and the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office [27][44]. Group 4: Financial Impact - The project is expected to increase Synlait's net profit by approximately NZD 10 million to NZD 15 million in the 2026 fiscal year [53]. - The sale will help Synlait address excess capacity issues and improve operational quality by focusing resources on core business activities [53]. Group 5: Risk Management - The company has established risk control measures, including strict adherence to legal and prudent principles in conducting forward foreign exchange contracts [11][12]. - The company will monitor currency fluctuations and adjust its hedging strategy accordingly to ensure price stability [30][59].