Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) Shares Sold by Notis McConarty Edward

Notis McConarty Edward lessened its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) by 2.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 60,794 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock after selling 1,755 shares during the quarter. Abbott Laboratories makes up approximately 3.3% of Notis McConarty Edward’s holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. Notis McConarty Edward’s holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $6,876,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also modified their holdings of ABT. Pioneer Trust Bank N A OR increased its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.4% in the 4th quarter. Pioneer Trust Bank N A OR now owns 59,200 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $6,696,000 after acquiring an additional 215 shares during the last quarter. Kidder Stephen W increased its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Kidder Stephen W now owns 92,696 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $10,485,000 after purchasing an additional 241 shares during the last quarter. Somerville Kurt F lifted its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 0.6% in the 4th quarter. Somerville Kurt F now owns 166,957 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock worth $18,885,000 after buying an additional 996 shares during the last quarter. Broderick Brian C boosted its holdings in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 8.8% in the 4th quarter. Broderick Brian C now owns 126,086 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock valued at $14,262,000 after buying an additional 10,210 shares during the period. Finally, Prudential PLC raised its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 4.4% during the fourth quarter. Prudential PLC now owns 38,376 shares of the healthcare product maker’s stock worth $4,341,000 after acquiring an additional 1,603 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 75.18% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 949 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $138.17, for a total transaction of $131,123.33. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 74,381 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,277,222.77. This represents a 1.26 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Lisa D. Earnhardt sold 91,167 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $133.82, for a total transaction of $12,199,967.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 71,928 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,625,404.96. This trade represents a 55.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 116,449 shares of company stock valued at $15,463,316. Corporate insiders own 0.46% of the company’s stock.

Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 5.4 %

Shares of ABT stock opened at $124.46 on Friday. Abbott Laboratories has a 1 year low of $99.71 and a 1 year high of $141.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.60. The business’s fifty day moving average is $131.18 and its 200-day moving average is $120.82. The stock has a market cap of $215.85 billion, a PE ratio of 16.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.70.

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 22nd. The healthcare product maker reported $1.34 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $1.34. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 31.95% and a return on equity of 20.74%. The firm had revenue of $10.97 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $11.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $1.19 earnings per share. Abbott Laboratories’s revenue for the quarter was up 7.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts expect that Abbott Laboratories will post 5.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, May 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 15th will be given a $0.59 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 15th. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.90%. Abbott Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 30.85%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms have recently commented on ABT. Bank of America upped their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 10th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $158.00 target price (up from $149.00) on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research note on Monday, January 27th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Abbott Laboratories from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories from $130.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 23rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Abbott Laboratories presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $137.94.

Abbott Laboratories Company Profile

Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company provides generic pharmaceuticals for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, irritable bowel syndrome or biliary spasm, intrahepatic cholestasis or depressive symptoms, gynecological disorder, hormone replacement therapy, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism, Ménière’s disease and vestibular vertigo, pain, fever, inflammation, and migraine, as well as provides anti-infective clarithromycin, influenza vaccine, and products to regulate physiological rhythm of the colon.