AbbVie Beats on Q4 Earnings, Stock Down Despite Upbeat '26 View

Core Insights - AbbVie Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted EPS of $2.71, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.66 and the company's prior guidance of $2.61-$2.65, with earnings increasing over 25% year over year [1][10] - The company's revenues reached $16.62 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.36 billion, with a year-over-year growth of 10.0% on a reported basis and 9.5% operationally [2][10] Revenue Performance - Key drugs driving revenue included Rinvoq, Skyrizi, Venclexta, and Vraylar, alongside contributions from newer drugs like Ubrelvy, Qulipta, Elahere, and Vyalev, while sales of Humira and Imbruvica declined [3] - Immunology drug Rinvoq generated $2.37 billion in net revenues, up nearly 29%, although it missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.39 billion [4] - Skyrizi's sales reached $5.01 billion, reflecting a 32% increase and surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.91 billion [5] - Humira's sales fell 26% to $1.25 billion, with U.S. sales down 28% to $897 million, attributed to loss of exclusivity since January 2023, yet it exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $949 million [6] - Neuroscience portfolio sales rose over 17% to $2.96 billion, driven by Botox Therapeutic and Vraylar, but missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.00 billion [7] - Oncology franchise sales decreased 2.5% to $1.66 billion, primarily due to declining Imbruvica sales, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.72 billion [9] Cost and Financial Outlook - Adjusted SG&A expenses increased 4% year over year to $3.71 billion, while adjusted R&D expenses rose approximately 13% to $2.56 billion [15] - For the full year 2025, AbbVie reported sales growth of 8.6% to $61.16 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $60.93 billion, with adjusted EPS of $10.00, down 1% year over year but beating estimates [16] - AbbVie provided guidance for 2026 adjusted EPS in the range of $14.37-$14.57, excluding impacts from proposed acquisitions, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $14.32 [17] Market Reaction and Strategic Focus - Despite strong results, AbbVie's shares traded lower in pre-market trading, likely due to underperformance in Rinvoq and oncology drugs [19] - The company is focusing on inorganic growth to strengthen its early-stage pipeline across multiple therapeutic areas, with recent acquisitions impacting near-term earnings [21][22]