On Wednesday, TD Cowen reiterated its Buy rating on Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT), maintaining the $130.00 price target. The firm's analysis highlighted that Abbott Labs exceeded third-quarter revenue and earnings per share (EPS) expectations, with revenues reaching $10.64 billion and EPS at $1.21. This performance surpassed the Street's forecasts of $10.55 billion in revenue and $1.20 EPS.
Abbott's sales saw a 4.9% increase on a reported basis and a 7.6% rise on an organic basis, which includes Covid test sales of $265 million. Notably, Covid test sales declined from $305 million in the previous year. Excluding Covid test sales, the company's organic sales growth for the third quarter was 8.2%. The company performed well in several sectors, beating sales projections for Medical Devices and Diagnostics, aligning with consensus sales estimates for Established Pharmaceuticals, and slightly missing the target for Nutrition sales.
The standout segment was Medical Devices, achieving 13.3% organic growth with sales of $4.75 billion, which was above the Street's expectation of $4.70 billion. In particular, Diabetes Care showed robust performance, with Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) sales surpassing $1.6 billion and reflecting a 20.7% organic sales growth, which was notably strong given concerns about supply constraints for the Libre 3 system in the United States.
Abbott Labs has raised its full-year EPS guidance for the third time this year. The company has maintained its forecast for full-year ex-Covid organic sales growth between 9.5% and 10.0%. After outperforming the Street's EPS forecast in the third quarter, Abbott adjusted its full-year EPS guidance to a range of $4.64 to $4.70, up from the previous range of $4.61 to $4.71. This revision suggests an expected fourth-quarter adjusted EPS of $1.31 to $1.37, which encompasses the current consensus of $1.33. Additionally, Abbott anticipates a less than 1% unfavorable impact from foreign exchange on reported sales in the fourth quarter.
In other recent news, Abbott Laboratories has been in the spotlight for its robust financial performance. The company's third-quarter sales of $10.64 billion, which marked a 4.9% increase, were primarily driven by its Medical Technology division and COVID-19 tests revenue. Abbott's earnings per share (EPS) of $1.21 slightly exceeded estimates. Despite challenges in international nutrition and its Core Laboratory business, the company reaffirmed its full-year 2024 organic growth guidance and increased the midpoint of its EPS range.
Investment banking firms JPMorgan, Jefferies, and Stifel have all expressed confidence in Abbott's growth prospects. JPMorgan maintained a $135 price target, Jefferies increased its target to $125, and Stifel raised its target to $130, all citing the company's strong quarterly performance and promising growth outlook.
Abbott's CEO, Robert Ford (NYSE:F), anticipates high single-digit revenue growth and double-digit earnings growth moving towards 2025, primarily driven by the Medical Device segment. Additionally, the company's Diabetes Care sales surpassed $1.6 billion, marking a 21% increase, and a new $7 billion share repurchase program was authorized, reflecting the company's confidence in its financial health and future prospects. These are among the recent developments at Abbott Laboratories.
InvestingPro Insights
Abbott Laboratories' strong performance and raised guidance are reflected in its current market position. According to InvestingPro data, Abbott boasts a substantial market capitalization of $205.29 billion, underscoring its significant presence in the healthcare sector. The company's revenue for the last twelve months as of Q2 2024 stands at $40.73 billion, with a modest growth of 1.24% over the same period.
InvestingPro Tips highlight Abbott's financial stability and shareholder-friendly policies. The company has maintained dividend payments for an impressive 54 consecutive years and has raised its dividend for 11 consecutive years. This consistent dividend growth, coupled with a current dividend yield of 1.9%, demonstrates Abbott's commitment to returning value to shareholders.
The market's positive sentiment towards Abbott is evident in its stock performance, with a one-year price total return of 28.41% as of the latest data. This aligns with the company's strong quarterly results and raised guidance mentioned in the article. Additionally, Abbott is trading near its 52-week high, at 96.86% of that level, which reflects investor confidence in the company's outlook.
For investors seeking more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers 12 additional tips for Abbott Laboratories, providing deeper insights into the company's financial health and market position.
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