NEW YORK, January 10, 2026, 11:17 AM EST — The market has closed.
- AbbVie slipped 1.8% on Friday, closing at $220.08.
- The company’s 2025 profit forecast took a hit from a $1.3 billion charge tied to acquired R&D and milestone expenses.
- AbbVie’s conference on Jan. 14 and earnings report set for Feb. 4 are now in investors’ sights as key upcoming events.
Shares of AbbVie Inc slipped 1.8% to close Friday at $220.08, wrapping up a choppy session marked by shifting guidance and takeover rumors.
AbbVie disclosed in a regulatory filing that it anticipates around $1.3 billion in acquired in-process research and development (IPR&D) and milestone expenses in Q4—costs associated with upfront charges for buying or licensing drug projects. This will slash earnings by approximately 71 cents per share. The company also cut its Q4 adjusted EPS forecast to $2.61-$2.65 from $3.32-$3.36 and trimmed its full-year 2025 adjusted EPS guidance to $9.90-$9.94 from $10.61-$10.65.
The shift is significant since AbbVie usually avoids forecasting these transaction-related charges, citing unpredictable timing. The company also noted the quarter’s results aren’t finalized, leaving investors to decide if this is a one-time hit or if deal expenses are still dragging on earnings.
The guidance reset came amid rising takeover rumors swirling around cancer-drug maker Revolution Medicines. AbbVie denied any talks, telling Reuters it “is not in discussions with Revolution Medicines,” pushing back against a Wall Street Journal report that claimed the talks were at an advanced stage. reuters.com
Buzz around deals is ramping up ahead of next week’s J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, where biotech leaders and bankers typically use side meetings to gauge acquisition interest. “So that has made people dust off the playbook on the art of the possible,” said Jeremy Meilman, JPMorgan’s global co-head of healthcare investment banking. reuters.com
Merck is reportedly in discussions to acquire Revolution in a deal worth between $28 billion and $32 billion, according to Reuters, which cited the Financial Times. Analysts at Mizuho project that Revolution’s RAS inhibitors could generate over $10 billion in risk-adjusted global sales by 2035.
Wolfe Research cut AbbVie to Peer Perform from Outperform on Thursday, citing limited near-term upside after a strong two-year run. The firm also flagged potential pressure on immunology pricing and contracting advantages when payer agreements expire in 2026. Still, Wolfe noted AbbVie’s longer-term pipeline remains promising.
AbbVie will present at the J.P. Morgan conference on Jan. 14, with management set for a fireside chat at 10:15 a.m. Central time, the company announced.
AbbVie will give investors a more complete picture with its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results set for release on Feb. 4, before the market opens. The company plans a webcast at 8 a.m. Central time.
AbbVie is trading under its 50-day moving average, which sits around $226, but it remains above the 200-day average near $207, according to StockAnalysis. The stock has slipped roughly 10% from its 52-week peak of $244.81.
AbbVie dropped on Friday even as the S&P 500 climbed 0.65%, MarketWatch reported. Big pharma was a mixed bag: Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly slipped, but Pfizer managed gains.
AbbVie’s shares took a hit amid the back-and-forth Revolution headlines. The stock finished at $233.42 on Jan. 7 but slipped to $220.08 by Friday, shedding roughly 6% in just two days.
The downside is clear: Q4 figures remain preliminary, and more deal-related expenses might muddy “adjusted” earnings, especially if M&A activity heats up near conference season.
Markets kick back in on Monday as the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference takes place from Jan. 12-15. AbbVie investors should note the key dates: the company’s conference presentation on Jan. 14 and its earnings report coming Feb. 4.
