Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Abbott (ABT) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: Here's Why

Read MoreHide Full Article

In the latest trading session, Abbott (ABT - Free Report) closed at $114.14, marking a -1.18% move from the previous day. The stock trailed the S&P 500, which registered a daily gain of 0.82%. Meanwhile, the Dow lost 0.22%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 1.77%.

The maker of infant formula, medical devices and drugs's stock has dropped by 0.81% in the past month, exceeding the Medical sector's loss of 4.06% and lagging the S&P 500's gain of 0.8%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of Abbott in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company's earnings per share (EPS) are projected to be $1.34, reflecting a 12.61% increase from the same quarter last year. At the same time, our most recent consensus estimate is projecting a revenue of $11.03 billion, reflecting a 7.71% rise from the equivalent quarter last year.

For the full year, the Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $4.67 per share and a revenue of $42.01 billion, demonstrating changes of +5.18% and +4.73%, respectively, from the preceding year.

Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for Abbott. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. Therefore, positive revisions in estimates convey analysts' confidence in the company's business performance and profit potential.

Our research suggests that these changes in estimates have a direct relationship with upcoming stock price performance. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.

Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has witnessed an unchanged state. Currently, Abbott is carrying a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In terms of valuation, Abbott is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 24.73. This represents a discount compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 26.18.

Investors should also note that ABT has a PEG ratio of 2.72 right now. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Medical - Products industry held an average PEG ratio of 2.44.

The Medical - Products industry is part of the Medical sector. Currently, this industry holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 130, positioning it in the bottom 49% of all 250+ industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our individual industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Abbott Laboratories (ABT) - free report >>

Published in