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The latest trading session saw Abbott (ABT) ending at $113.19, denoting a +0.78% adjustment from its last day's close. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.16%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.86%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.38%.
The maker of infant formula, medical devices and drugs's shares have seen a decrease of 0.94% over the last month, surpassing the Medical sector's loss of 5.3% and the S&P 500's loss of 2.2%.
The upcoming earnings release of Abbott will be of great interest to investors. The company's earnings report is expected on January 22, 2025. On that day, Abbott is projected to report earnings of $1.34 per share, which would represent year-over-year growth of 12.61%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $11.02 billion, up 7.64% from the prior-year quarter.
Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for Abbott. These latest adjustments often mirror the shifting dynamics of short-term business patterns. Consequently, upward revisions in estimates express analysts' positivity towards the company's business operations and its ability to generate profits.
Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-team stock moves. To take advantage of this, we've established the Zacks Rank, an exclusive model that considers these estimated changes and delivers an operational rating system.
The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.02% higher. Abbott is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
With respect to valuation, Abbott is currently being traded at a Forward P/E ratio of 21.85. This indicates a premium in contrast to its industry's Forward P/E of 18.88.
One should further note that ABT currently holds a PEG ratio of 2.4. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. Medical - Products stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 2.1 based on yesterday's closing prices.
The Medical - Products industry is part of the Medical sector. This industry, currently bearing a Zacks Industry Rank of 142, finds itself in the bottom 44% echelons of all 250+ industries.
The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.