First Financial Bank Trust Division Sells 10,533 Shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

First Financial Bank Trust Division lowered its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Free Report) by 9.2% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 103,484 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock after selling 10,533 shares during the quarter. Abbott Laboratories comprises 1.3% of First Financial Bank Trust Division's portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding. First Financial Bank Trust Division's holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $13,727,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Fairtree Asset Management Pty Ltd acquired a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the 4th quarter valued at $662,000. DSG Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories during the fourth quarter valued at about $513,000. Chancellor Financial Group WB LP bought a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth approximately $460,000. 111 Capital bought a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $855,000. Finally, Tableaux LLC bought a new position in Abbott Laboratories in the fourth quarter worth $205,000. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Abbott Laboratories news, Director Sally E. Blount sold 2,600 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $129.66, for a total value of $337,116.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 34,058 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $4,415,960.28. The trade was a 7.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Lisa D. Earnhardt sold 91,167 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.82, for a total transaction of $12,199,967.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 71,928 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $9,625,404.96. This trade represents a 55.90% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.46% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on ABT. Barclays lifted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $158.00 to $159.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, April 17th. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $138.00 to $154.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, April 17th. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and issued a $145.00 price target (up from $133.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, April 17th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Abbott Laboratories has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $142.59.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ABT traded down $0.40 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $133.18. 1,079,518 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,137,752. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a market capitalization of $231.71 billion, a PE ratio of 17.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.74. Abbott Laboratories has a 12 month low of $99.71 and a 12 month high of $141.23. The company's 50 day moving average price is $130.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $125.31.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 16th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.07 by $0.02. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.74% and a net margin of 31.95%. The business had revenue of $10.36 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.38 billion. As a group, analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Profile

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Ménière's disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.