Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC Purchases 134,139 Shares of Abbott Laboratories $ABT

Key Points

• Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC increased its Abbott Laboratories stake by 9.5%, buying 134,139 shares to hold 1,545,958 shares worth about $197.6 million (roughly 0.09% of ABT).
• Abbott expects to close its acquisition of Exact Sciences on March 23, 2026, a strategic move that expands its diagnostics business and could drive long-term revenue and pipeline growth.
• Analysts hold a consensus rating of Moderate Buy with a $136.16 target, despite several recent price-target cuts; the stock traded around $105.58 (down 1.5%) and sits below its 50- and 200-day moving averages.

Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Free Report) by 9.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,545,958 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock after buying an additional 134,139 shares during the period. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC owned approximately 0.09% of Abbott Laboratories worth $197,622,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of ABT. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 2nd quarter valued at about $3,026,180,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 13,347.0% in the second quarter. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,056,934 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock valued at $823,804,000 after buying an additional 6,011,891 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 51.0% in the third quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 13,951,907 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock valued at $1,868,718,000 after buying an additional 4,713,135 shares during the period. First Trust Advisors LP grew its position in Abbott Laboratories by 180.7% during the second quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 3,063,443 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock worth $416,659,000 after buying an additional 1,972,097 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alliancebernstein L.P. grew its position in Abbott Laboratories by 51.0% during the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 5,525,906 shares of the healthcare product maker's stock worth $740,140,000 after buying an additional 1,865,250 shares in the last quarter. 75.18% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ABT has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Argus cut their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $150.00 to $140.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 27th. Raymond James Financial cut their price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $146.00 to $130.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a report on Friday, January 23rd. Freedom Capital raised shares of Abbott Laboratories from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, January 29th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Abbott Laboratories from a "buy (b-)" rating to a "hold (c+)" rating in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, BTIG Research reduced their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $145.00 to $140.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $136.16.

Abbott Laboratories Trading Down 1.5%

ABT opened at $105.58 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $183.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.38, a PEG ratio of 1.68 and a beta of 0.74. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19. The company's 50 day moving average is $112.75 and its 200-day moving average is $123.03. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $105.27 and a 1-year high of $139.06.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.50. The business had revenue of $11.46 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.80 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.72% and a return on equity of 17.73%. The firm's revenue was up 4.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.34 EPS. Abbott Laboratories has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.120-1.180 EPS and its FY 2026 guidance at 5.550-5.800 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, May 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, April 15th will be given a dividend of $0.63 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, April 15th. This represents a $2.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.4%. Abbott Laboratories's payout ratio is currently 67.74%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Mary K. Moreland sold 613 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.58, for a total transaction of $70,850.54. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 104,291 shares of the company's stock, valued at $12,053,953.78. The trade was a 0.58% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Daniel J. Starks purchased 10,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 4th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $108.73 per share, with a total value of $1,087,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 6,738,817 shares in the company, valued at approximately $732,711,572.41. This trade represents a 0.15% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 3,055 shares of company stock worth $353,097. Company insiders own 0.46% of the company's stock.

Abbott Laboratories News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Abbott Laboratories this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Abbott expects to close its acquisition of Exact Sciences on March 23, 2026, after receiving all regulatory clearances — a major strategic move that immediately expands Abbott’s presence in cancer screening and diagnostics and could drive revenue growth over time. Abbott acquisition of Exact Sciences set to close on March 23, 2026
• Positive Sentiment: Coverage and commentary highlight the strategic expansion into diagnostics with Exact Sciences, positioning Abbott to capture a larger share of growing cancer-screening markets — a long-term revenue and pipeline positive. Abbott NYSE: ABT Expands Diagnostics With Exact Sciences Amid S&P 500 Futures
• Positive Sentiment: Independent bullish write-ups (syndicated on Yahoo/InsiderMonkey) recap a bullish thesis on ABT, citing valuation metrics and growth potential tied to diagnostics exposure — such coverage can support investor interest and longer-term upside. Is Abbott Laboratories (ABT) A Good Stock To Buy Now?
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro/theme-level research (UBS longevity thematic piece) frames aging and longevity as structural tailwinds for companies exposed to diagnostics and chronic-care solutions; this supports ABT’s long-term thesis but is not an immediate catalyst. Transformational Opportunities: UBS Suggests 2 Longevity Stocks to Buy as the $8T Aging Boom Accelerates
• Negative Sentiment: Healthcare stocks pulled back late Friday, dragging ABT with the sector; broader sector weakness can amplify short-term downside even when company-specific news is positive. Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Retreat Late Afternoon
• Negative Sentiment: Relative underperformance versus peers was noted in market reports — investors may be trimming ABT into the acquisition close due to integration, execution and dilution concerns. Abbott Laboratories stock underperforms Friday when compared to competitors

Abbott Laboratories Profile

Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, that develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of medical products and services. Founded in 1888, Abbott operates through multiple business areas that focus on diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and established pharmaceuticals. The company supplies hospitals, clinics, laboratories, retailers and direct-to-consumer channels with products intended to diagnose, treat and manage a wide range of health conditions.

In diagnostics, Abbott provides laboratory and point-of-care testing platforms and assays used to detect infectious diseases, chronic conditions and biomarkers; its Alinity family of instruments and rapid-test solutions are examples of this capability.

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