Abbott Falls Most in Nearly 24 Years on Formula Pricing Stumble

Photographer: Jamie Kelter Davis/Bloomberg Abbott Laboratories said first-quarter profit will be lower than Wall Street expected after the company was forced to offer discounts on nutrition products to lure price-conscious customers, sending shares plunging. The company forecast first-quarter adjusted earnings per share to reach $1.12 to $1.18, compared to the average Wall Street estimate of $1.19 a share. Analysts’ expectations were already low, as they anticipated the company to issue more conservative ...