New York, Feb 1, 2026, 16:21 EST — Market closed
- Abbott shares closed Friday up, recovering some ground after sliding post-earnings earlier in the week.
- New analyst notes have adjusted price targets and kept the spotlight on nutrition trends and execution plans for 2026.
- Investors enter Monday focused on potential estimate revisions and updates on the Exact Sciences deal trajectory.
Abbott Laboratories shares ended Friday up 3.03%, closing at $109.30. The stock’s recent swings have investors zeroing in on one thing: what Abbott can actually deliver in the upcoming quarter and how fast confidence might return.
The rebound follows broker notes late last week that lowered price targets after the company reported results. Leerink Partners dropped its target to $119 from $136 but maintained a Market Perform rating. The firm described Abbott as a “show-me” story for several quarters, with investors waiting to see if the back-half growth plan will deliver. Investing.com
Abbott’s late-January update brought fresh attention to a persistent issue: nutrition. Rising costs and pricing pressures are hitting price-sensitive consumers hard. CEO Robert Ford warned investors that growth in this segment would be “challenged” for a few quarters, only improving in the second half. The company forecast first-quarter adjusted profit below estimates. Reuters
Abbott managed to buck the trend on Friday, rising as the broader market dipped. The S&P 500 dropped 0.43%, the Dow lost 0.36%, yet Abbott’s shares climbed higher than key healthcare rivals like Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer.
The debate over Abbott is blunt. Bulls highlight its strong device and diagnostics portfolio alongside a robust pipeline of upcoming launches. Bears counter that the stock needs to justify its multiple, watching nutrition volumes and diabetes-care growth as key near-term indicators.
Management stuck to the bigger picture. Abbott forecasted full-year 2026 organic sales growth between 6.5% and 7.5%—excluding currency fluctuations and certain one-offs—alongside adjusted diluted earnings per share from $5.55 to $5.80. Ford described the company as “well positioned for accelerating growth in 2026.” PR Newswire
Looking beyond the quarter, Abbott’s planned acquisition of Exact Sciences stands out as a key wildcard. The deal, announced last November, marks Abbott’s push deeper into cancer diagnostics. They agreed to pay $105 per share in cash, putting Exact’s equity value around $21 billion and total valuation, including debt, near $23 billion. The transaction is set to close in the second quarter of 2026.
Not everyone was sold on the price. “The purchase price is a bit higher than the market expected, but I would give Abbott the benefit of the doubt,” said James Harlow, senior vice president at Novare Capital Management, back then. RBC’s Shagun Singh added the deal probably won’t run into “meaningful regulatory hurdles.” Reuters
Risks weigh heavily on the flip side. Nutrition might remain weak beyond management’s current outlook. Any hiccup in pricing, supply, or market share could hit revenue once more. The Exact deal brings its own challenges: questions over integration and reimbursement linger. Reuters notes it’s likely to be dilutive—cutting earnings per share—up through 2027.
As Monday’s session kicks off, traders will be eyeing if Friday’s rebound sticks and if more brokers trim estimates or targets during their model updates. Eyes will also stay glued to any fresh hints on nutrition volumes, diabetes-care momentum, and when Abbott plans to fully integrate Exact into its diagnostics division.
Abbott’s next quarterly dividend is scheduled for Feb. 13.
