New York, Feb 7, 2026, 17:35 EST — Market’s done for the day.
- Abbott shares closed out the week in positive territory, still sitting far underneath last year’s high.
- FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors remain on the near-term risk list due to pending FDA actions.
- Insider purchases and fresh data on a new AFib device are drawing attention before the bell on Monday.
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) edged up 1.6% to finish at $110.83 on Friday, notching a back-to-back advance. The stock lagged behind the S&P 500’s 1.97% jump and the Dow’s 2.47% rally. Abbott is still trading 21.53% under its 52-week peak at $141.23. Volume came in at 9.9 million shares, above the 50-day average of 8.9 million.
With U.S. markets closed Saturday, investors are watching the regulatory front. The Food and Drug Administration has escalated its Class I recall — the highest level — for specific FreeStyle Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors. The FDA cautioned that using these sensors could lead to severe injury or even death. Abbott has told the agency about 860 serious injuries and seven deaths linked to sensors that may report glucose levels too low, potentially leading to dangerous treatment errors.
The FDA’s latest warning letter targeting the FreeStyle Libre line stops short of forcing a recall, but it does pile on extra pressure for Abbott’s diabetes business, William Blair analysts Brandon Vazquez and Andrew Brackmann noted. “warning letters can add some uncertainty from the investor perspective,” they wrote. Abbott, for its part, told the analysts that Libre’s marketing and distribution remain unaffected, and said it still plans to launch a dual glucose/ketone sensor this year. Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry
Abbott director and 10% owner Daniel J. Starks picked up 10,000 shares on Feb. 4, according to a Form 4. He paid roughly $1.09 million, scooping up the stock in two open-market buys at prices hovering between $108 and $109 each.
Abbott on Friday pointed to fresh clinical results from its atrial fibrillation, or AFib, portfolio during the AF Symposium in Boston. The company reported that its Volt pulsed field ablation system achieved an 84.2% freedom-from-recurrence rate after 12 months in paroxysmal AFib cases, and close to 68% in persistent AFib. TactiFlex Duo, in a separate trial, hit an 81% success rate at the six-month mark. “The data for Volt confirms what I see firsthand in the procedure room,” said Atul Verma. Abbott electrophysiology chief medical officer Christopher Piorkowski added, “With the rising rates of AFib around the world.” Abbott MediaRoom
Pulsed field ablation, known as PFA, treats AFib—a frequent heart rhythm problem—by sending electrical bursts into heart tissue. The market has turned crowded as more device makers enter, leaving investors tracking whether clinical trial data will actually lead to stronger adoption or better pricing leverage.
Libre’s news is significant for the diabetes business. Continuous glucose monitors — CGMs — are a hot spot of competition, especially with Dexcom in the picture. Regulatory moves often shift faster than the products themselves, and the impact usually hits sentiment before anything else.
The FDA’s recall notice comes with a stark warning, while the tally of injuries is likely to attract further attention from doctors, insurers, and legal teams. If more lots are pulled, or if there’s a hint of trouble securing supplies, the impact on ABT could easily outweigh any positive headlines about new device data.
Markets are shut until Monday’s open (Feb. 9), when attention shifts to possible new FDA statements and any word from Abbott about replacements or remediation. The AF Symposium wraps up in Boston on Saturday, so electrophysiology headlines will keep landing as the week kicks off.
Abbott shares could move next not on earnings or guidance, but on whatever the regulator does — maybe a fresh recall entry, new details on which lots are hit, or fallout from that warning letter — dropping just as the market opens again.
