New York, Feb 5, 2026, 19:43 EST — After-hours
- AbbVie shares ticked higher in after-hours, rebounding slightly after a drop fueled by earnings the previous day.
- Investors are zeroed in on whether newer drugs will be able to make up for Humira’s drop.
- Next session focus: watching for follow-through in ABBV and key macro signals on rates.
AbbVie Inc (ABBV.N) shares climbed roughly 0.7% to $219.02 in after-hours trading Thursday, following an intraday range between $214.27 and $221.00.
The late rally is crucial since AbbVie remains stuck in a phase where quarterly wins often rely on legacy drugs. Yet, investors are fixated on the company’s newer blockbusters, seeing them as essential to its future.
In this environment, even minor blips grab major headlines. When the market spots a potential flaw in the “replacement” portfolio, the stock price usually jumps before anyone fully digests the news.
AbbVie reported fourth-quarter net revenues of $16.618 billion on Wednesday, alongside an adjusted profit of $2.71 per share, excluding certain items in its non-GAAP measure. The company projected adjusted earnings per share for 2026 between $14.37 and $14.57. CEO Robert A. Michael said the firm anticipates “another year of robust growth in 2026.” (AbbVie News Center)
The day after the report, investors remained focused on the split within AbbVie’s immunology franchise. Skyrizi posted $5.01 billion in quarterly sales, beating estimates, while Rinvoq lagged with $2.37 billion, missing forecasts, per LSEG data. Shares dropped nearly 6% in early Wednesday trading. William Blair’s Matt Phipps highlighted competitive pressure, notably from Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya in bowel-disease treatments. CFO Scott Reents also noted “low-single-digit pricing headwinds” hitting both drugs starting in 2026. AbbVie raised its forecast, now expecting combined sales of about $31.6 billion from the two in 2026—an earlier target than previously guided. (Reuters)
Humira is still a key factor. With its patent expired, biosimilars—these near-copies of complex biologic drugs—are chipping away at its market share, a familiar concern for investors over the past two years. The question now is whether the latest duo is sharply ramping up or merely holding steady at a “good enough” pace.
A regulatory filing revealed AbbVie submitted the results release via a Form 8-K on Feb. 4. (SEC)
Friday’s key test is if the after-hours bounce from Thursday holds up or if the market sticks to viewing the report as a sign that AbbVie’s growth remains vulnerable to competition and pricing pressures.
The downside is straightforward: if Rinvoq’s growth slows more than analysts predict, or if pricing pressure exceeds the “low single digits” forecast, the 2026 profit range could narrow sharply. That risk grows with Humira continuing to decline and payers intensifying cost controls.
Traders will be eyeing ABBV’s open on Friday before turning their attention to the next major macro event that could shift rate expectations and defensive plays: the U.S. January employment report, set for Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 8:30 a.m. ET. (Bls)
