Abbott Laboratories Gains Despite Unimpressive Q4 Revenue Results

ABT

Abbott Laboratories (ABT - Free Report) just released its fourth quarter fiscal 2016 earnings results, posting earnings of $0.65 per share and revenue of $5.33 billion.

ABT closed at a gain of $0.56 to $40.32 a shareafter its earnings report was released this morning.

Currently, ABT has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), but it is subject to change following the release of the company’s latest earnings report. Here are 5 key statistics from this just announced report below.

Company:                                              

Beat earnings estimates. The company posted earnings of $0.65 cents per share, beating our Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.64. Zacks estimates excluded $0.12 from non-recurring items.

Underperformed revenue estimates. The company saw revenue figures of $5.33 billion, not meeting our estimate of $5.357 billion.

Abbott Laboratories reported that in their fourth quarter Pediatric Nutrition sales decreased by 5.4% and worldwide Adult Nutrition sales fell 1.4%, on a reported basis.  However, Abbott’s PediaSure brand and other recently launched infant formula products led above-market sales growth in the United States.

Diluted GAAP EPS from continuing operations shows an outlook for full-year 2017 to be between $0.92 and $1.02 a share. This guidance includes amortization and integration expenses to the acquisition of St. Jude Medical.

Good news for investors, as Abbott Laboratories will continue to increase its quarterly dividend payment by $0.005 to $0.0265.

Here’s a graph that looks at Abbott Laboratories’ price, consensus and EPS surprise:

Zacks' Top Investment Ideas for Long-Term Profit

How would you like to see our best recommendations to help you find today’s most promising long-term stocks? Starting now, you can look inside our portfolios featuring stocks under $10, income stocks, value investments and more. These picks, which have double and triple-digit profit potential, are rarely available to the public. But you can see them now. Click here >>

Zacks Names "Single Best Pick to Double"

From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all.

It’s a little-known chemical company that’s up 65% over last year, yet still dirt cheap. With unrelenting demand, soaring 2022 earnings estimates, and $1.5 billion for repurchasing shares, retail investors could jump in at any time.

This company could rival or surpass other recent Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Boston Beer Company which shot up +143.0% in little more than 9 months and NVIDIA which boomed +175.9% in one year.

Free: See Our Top Stock and 4 Runners Up >>