Is Abbott Laboratories Stock Underperforming the S&P 500?

Core Insights - Abbott Laboratories is a major player in the healthcare sector with a market cap of $221.2 billion, offering a diverse range of products including diagnostics, medical devices, nutritional products, and branded generic medicines [1][2] Financial Performance - In Q3, Abbott reported net sales of $11.4 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 6.9%, although it fell short of consensus estimates by 23 basis points [5] - The adjusted EPS for the quarter was $1.30, which met analysts' expectations, showing a growth of 7.4% [5] Stock Performance - Abbott's stock has underperformed compared to the S&P 500, with a year-to-date gain of 13.2% and an 8.4% increase over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 saw gains of 15% and 13% respectively [4] - The stock price has declined 2.9% over the past three months, and it is currently trading 9.3% below its three-year high of $141.23 [3][4] Analyst Sentiment - Despite recent underperformance, analysts maintain a positive outlook on Abbott, with a consensus rating of "Strong Buy" among 27 analysts and a mean price target of $146.69, indicating a potential upside of 14.6% from current levels [6]