Zacks Investment Management Reduces $12M in Abbott Laboratories ($ABT)
Zacks Investment Management cut its position in Abbott Laboratories by over 25%, reflecting a reduced confidence in ABT.
Key Points
- Zacks Investment Management cut its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 25.8%, reducing its holdings to 358,701 shares.
- Abbott Laboratories, trading at $93.35 on Friday, has a market cap of about $162.4 billion and a forward P/E ratio of 15.4.
- Several insiders, including Mary Moreland, bought shares in April and May; analysts maintain a 'buy' rating with targets up to $143.
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Zacks Investment Management has made a notable reduction in its holdings of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT). According to the latest 13F filing with the SEC on May 14, 2026, Zacks trimmed its position by 125,015 shares, a decrease of 25.8%. This leaves the fund with 358,701 shares valued at approximately $33.5 million.
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What Changed in Zacks Investment Management's Abbott Laboratories Position
Zacks Investment Management reduced its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 25.8% during the reporting period. The fund sold 125,015 shares, bringing its total holdings down to 358,701 shares. The value of the remaining shares is around $33.5 million.
Other Institutional Activity in Abbott Laboratories
Several other major funds adjusted their positions in Abbott Laboratories. BlackRock, Inc. reduced its holdings by 1,221,310 shares, ending with 145,687,458 shares valued at about $14.96 billion, a slight decrease of 0.8%. Vanguard Capital Management LLC initiated a new position with 112,949,933 shares, valued at roughly $11.6 billion. State Street Corp trimmed its position by 278,314 shares, now holding 79,575,468 shares worth approximately $8.17 billion, a 0.3% reduction. Capital Research Global Investors increased its stake by 10,606,123 shares to a total of 49,775,362 shares, marking a 27.1% increase. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc significantly boosted its holdings by 32,310,527 shares, now holding 45,500,055 shares, a 245% increase.
Abbott Laboratories Stock Down 17.3%
Shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) traded near $93.35 on Friday. The company has a market cap of approximately $162.4 billion and a forward P/E ratio of 15.4. Abbott's stock has seen a 52-week low of $81.97 and a high of $137.49. The 50-day moving average is $89.27, while the 200-day moving average is $112.80. The company's beta is 0.62, reflecting lower volatility compared to the market. Abbott maintains a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 0.84, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 64.77.
$ABT stock price
Daily closing prices, year to date. Not investment advice.
Recent Earnings
Abbott Laboratories reported revenue of $45.13 billion, with a growth rate of 7.8%. The company achieved a net margin of 13.9% and a return on equity of 12.3%. Earnings per share were $3.57. The next earnings report is expected on July 16, 2026.
Earnings drift grade
Outlook vs expectations on the last report — not price action.
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Forward outlook
8 target cuts vs 0 raises.
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EPS & revenue
EPS met estimates. Revenue beat estimates by 0.5%.
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Profit surprise
EBITDA missed by 43 percent. Operating income missed by 19 percent.
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Pre-earnings setup
Bar was high, analysts already very bullish.
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Analyst signal
8 target cuts.
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Earnings quality
Gross margin up 3.7 points. Positive free cash flow.
Earnings Call Summary
Abbott completed its $2.4 billion acquisition of Exact Sciences on March 23 and is integrating the cancer diagnostics business into its portfolio. First quarter results came in slightly ahead, with sales of $11.2 billion, up 3.7 percent on a comparable basis, though the respiratory season was weaker than expected. The company is seeing early signs of volume recovery in Nutrition after price increases, expects Core Lab Diagnostics to accelerate, and is launching new cardiac devices like the Volt pulsed field ablation catheter and TactiFlex Duo. Management remains confident in second half acceleration but is being cautious on near term market conditions.
Guidance Abbott cut full year earnings guidance from $5.68 to $5.48 per share, reflecting $0.20 of dilution from the Exact Sciences acquisition. The company guided full year revenue growth of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent on a comparable basis including Exact Sciences. For the second quarter, Abbott expects earnings of $1.25 to $1.31 per share. Management said they are being conservative on respiratory season assumptions and expect acceleration in the second half driven by Nutrition recovery, Core Lab Diagnostics growth, and Exact Sciences integration.
Severe negative reset. The report materially damaged the forward outlook and likely forces major downward revisions.
Dividend
Abbott Laboratories offers an annual dividend rate of $2.52, yielding 2.7%. The dividend payout ratio stands at 67.2%.
Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories
Recent insider transactions at Abbott Laboratories include several purchases. On May 7, 2026, John Stratton acquired 2,000 shares at an average price of $86.82. Executive Vice President Mary Moreland bought 5,314 shares at $94.41 on April 28, 2026. Daniel Starks purchased 10,000 shares at $92.65 on April 27, 2026. Additionally, Nita Ahuja, Daniel Starks, and Sally Blount each acquired shares on April 24, 2026.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
On June 22, 2026, Piper Sandler reiterated its 'buy' rating for Abbott Laboratories with a price target of $115. Barclays maintained its 'buy' rating with a target of $143 on April 20, 2026. Other firms, including Oppenheimer and RBC Capital, have also maintained 'buy' ratings with targets ranging from $115 to $130. The consensus among 24 analysts is a 'buy' rating, with a mean target price of $116.54.
About Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is a global healthcare company based in Abbott Park, Illinois. It operates through four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices. The company develops and sells a wide range of healthcare products, including diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals, and branded generic medicines. Abbott is led by CEO Mr. Philip P. Boudreau and employs approximately 122,000 people worldwide.
Bottom Line
Zacks Investment Management's reduction in its Abbott Laboratories stake reflects a strategic shift, but the company remains a significant player in healthcare. Investors track such moves for insights into institutional sentiment. Remember, 13F filings are backward-looking and may not indicate current positions.
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